Mendes, Paulo & Jürgens, Sandra Vieira (eds.) (2013). Collecting Collections and Concepts. Guimarães: Guimarães 2012 Capital Europeia da Cultura. “Silver Award” - European Design Awards (ED-Awards), 2014.
Abstract: Exhibiting art is above all a political act. It’s a practice that involves values, an action functioning here as a statement, an affirmation of the authorial posture based on certain criteria. It is such a capacity to position oneself that adds meanings and discourses to the works of art and its gathering. Commissioned by Paulo Mendes, Collecting collections and concepts, uma viagem iconoclasta por coleções de coisas em forma de assim pays tribute to Alexandre O’Neil (represented in the exhibition in a portrait by Fernando Lemos) and states the exhibition principles. This specific proposal looks through the motto of the collection to activate a reflection concerning the act and modalities of collecting, which incorporates art production and curatorial practices. In order to do that, it singled out works from some of the best institutional contemporary art collections and works related to (or specifically made about) the topic. What does it imply to organize exhibitions and gather collections when exhibitions are per se a temporary collection of objects? What kind of artistic and curatorial possibilities can an iconoclastic journey offer?
Jürgens, Sandra Vieira (2013). «Art Work Museums Factories. Build a critical memory of an era» in Collecting Collections and Concepts, uma viagem iconoclasta por colecções de coisas em forma de assim (pp. 76-84). Guimarães: Guimarães 2012 - Capital Europeia da Cultura.
