Painted Garden

Category: Nature > Garden

District: Vila Real > Vila Real > Mateus > Bairro do Além

Location

The Jardim Pintado (Painted Garden) is located in Mateus, a locality in the municipality of Vila Real. It is situated in the Bairro do Além area, more specifically in the gardens of the renowned Casa de Mateus, in an area contiguous to the historic Jardim das Coroas. Its arrangement offers a singular dialogue with the baroque architectural environment of the House and with the Duriense natural landscape that surrounds it.

An Artistic Creation

This installation is a work by Manuel Casimiro, a recognized Portuguese visual artist whose expression spans various forms such as painting, sculpture, and photography. Initially conceived in 1992, the piece was first presented to the public in 1996 and again in 1997, before finding its permanent home in the Parque da Casa de Mateus. Its presence permanently enriches the artistic panorama of the location, inviting contemplation and thought.

Forms and Symbolism

The Jardim Pintado, while not a painting in the traditional sense, establishes a deep dialogue with pictorial art, particularly with traditional Chinese representations of mountains. The installation is marked by the presence of three ovoids of black marble, carefully arranged on a vast expanse of gravel. These oval forms, which are a recurring element in Casimiro's work, can be interpreted as imaginary mountains emerging from a hidden lake. The conception of the work is inspired by the tradition of Eastern Zen gardens, but the artist offers a unique reinterpretation, transposing elements of Japanese culture into a Western artistic and mental context. This arrangement establishes an intriguing visual conversation with the neo-baroque ornamental gardens of the Casa de Mateus.

An Invitation to Reflection

More than just a piece to be observed, the Jardim Pintado was created to provoke and challenge the thinking of those who visit it. Manuel Casimiro conceived this work as an invitation to individual reflection, where space and time merge, allowing the memory of the past to be preserved in the present, projecting itself into the future. It is an experience that stimulates the mind, encouraging introspection on the nature of art, perception, and human behavior in relation to the world.

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