Laranjeira Santos Contemporary Art Center / Engenheiro Silva Castle

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Coimbra > Figueira da Foz > Figueira da Foz > Buarcos e São Julião

Location

Located in Figueira da Foz, in the area of Buarcos and São Julião, the Laranjeira Santos Centre for Contemporary Art is housed in the imposing building known as Castelo Engenheiro Silva. Its location, on Esplanada Silva Guimarães, gives it a distinctive setting, often associated with the city's seafront, making it a visible landmark in the local landscape.

The Building and the Collection

The Laranjeira Santos Centre for Contemporary Art was established following a generous donation of a significant portion of master sculptor Laranjeira Santos' artistic work to the municipality of Figueira da Foz. This initiative allowed the distinguished Castelo Engenheiro Silva building to be transformed into a vibrant cultural space, dedicated to modern and contemporary art, enriching the city's cultural heritage.

The space unfolds across two floors, displaying a representative collection of the artist's works. The layout allows visitors to follow the evolution of his artistic production, from the early 1950s to his most recent works, in an intense journey spanning over seventy years.

The Art of Laranjeira Santos

The exhibited collection reflects Laranjeira Santos' vast and intense artistic journey. Visitors to the Centre will have the opportunity to observe his constant experimentation with a diversity of materials, from clay and stone to resins and other everyday elements, exploring shapes, textures, and colours in a unique way.

His sculptures and drawings complement each other, revealing the artist's deep connection to the city of Figueira da Foz, dating back to 1955, the year he was awarded the National Sculpture Prize and met his future wife in the city. The exhibition addresses recurring themes in the master's work, such as the representation of Woman, explored in various forms and materials, the transition to The Abstract, the autonomy and function of The Drawing, and the depth of The Portrait, where the artist captures the essence beyond mere physiognomy.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt