Photography returns to the capital with Imago Lisboa
Photography returns to the capital with the Imago Lisboa Photo Festival. The theme chosen for the 7th edition is the issues of racism and xenophobia, under the motto “Breaking the Silence – Walking Together.”
The research on this topic was the subject of in-depth analysis and discussion by delegates Anna Fox, Anne Nwakalor, Elina Heikka, and Rui Prata.
The Imago Festival aims to promote different photographic practices, from the more artistic to the more documentary, through exhibitions and other activities that unfold in two related areas—artistic and pedagogical—thus establishing itself as a plural space for encounter and reflection around the photographic image.
Opening Calendar
September 4th at 6:30 pm
SNBA – National Society of Fine Arts
Invisible Borders
Alina Zaharia :: Gloria Oyarzabal :: Grace Ribeiro :: Patrick Rastenberger :: Omar Victor Diop :: Wendel A. White
Curator: Rui Prata
The most difficult borders to cross are not inscribed on any map. Often the true barriers are those of invisibility, drawn by centuries of global colonialism, silence, and social exclusion. They are in the gaze, in the bureaucracy, in the archives. They are boundaries that impose themselves between what is seen and what is recognized, between what is remembered and what is erased. This exhibition seeks to be yet another warning between the subtlety and the brutality of racism. Invisible Borders brings together the unique and provocative perspectives of Alina Zaharia, Gloria Oyarzabal, Grace Ribeiro, Patrik Rastenberger, Omar Victor Diop, and Wendel A. White—artists who, through photography, dismantle the architectures of structural racism and reveal its presence in social, cultural, and historical fabrics. These works not only denounce the explicit and covert forms of racial exclusion, but also propose modes of resistance, reparation, and reimagination.
September 18 at 6:00 PM
Water Museum
Drought
João Mariano
October 9 at 6:00 PM
Santa Maria Maior Gallery
My Place Is Also Here
Edith Roux :: Fatoumata Diabaté
October 10 at 6:00 PM
Bombarda Gardens
Stories of the Gypsy People :: MEF – Movement of Photographic Expression
Orkhéstra :: Ricardo Bento
October 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Lisbon Municipal Archives – Photographic
Six-Pointed Star
Pedro Medeiros
October 16 at 6:00 PM
Carpentry of Saint Lazarus
Floor 1
The Journey: From Then to Now
Adiam Yemane :: Giya Makondo-Willis :: Jono Terry :: KC Nwakalor :: Obayomi Anthony
Tayo Adekunle
Curated by: Anne Nwakalor
Floor 0
Radiations of War
Yana Kononova
I want each photographer’s work to engage with one another, creating a cohesive visual and thematic journey. The exhibition will follow a historical and contemporary trajectory, beginning with Giya’s project, which explores colonialism and its impact on ancestral beliefs. This leads to Tayo’s work, which examines the exploitation and commodification of Black women’s bodies. Then comes Jono’s project, which addresses Zimbabwe’s colonial legacies, highlighting their lasting effects.
Quero que o trabalho de cada fotógrafo dialogue entre si, criando uma viagem visual e temática coesa. A exposição seguirá uma trajetória histórica e contemporânea, começando com o projeto de Giya, que explora o colonialismo e o seu impacto nas crenças ancestrais. Este leva ao trabalho de Tayo, que examina a exploração e a mercantilização dos corpos das mulheres negras. E em seguida o projeto de Jono, que lida com as heranças coloniais do Zimbabué, destacando os seus efeitos duradouros.
17 de Outubro às 22h00
Galeria Imago Lisboa
Portugal is not a small country
Nuno Perestrelo
17 de Outubro às 22h00
Imago Garage
Putting Ourselves in the Picture
Curadoria: Anna Fox
18 de Outubro às 18h00
Procurarte
O Bairro
Augusto Brázio
20 Novembro às 18h00
MNAC – Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea
Emotional Encounters
Sofia Yala :: Yassemin Forte :: Aline Motta
Curadoria: Elina Heikka
As três artistas presentes nesta exposição têm em comum o facto de parte essencial dos seus projetos serem antigas fotografias de família que elas encontraram. As fotografias e os arquivos motivaram-nas e constituem uma parte substancial das suas séries de trabalho. As artistas são Aline Motta, Sofia Yala e Yassmin Forte, cujas histórias familiares estão, de diferentes formas, marcadas pelo colonialismo português no Brasil, em Angola e em Moçambique.
Além das Exposições, o Imago Lisboa – Photo Festival também inclui Oficinas, Debates, Projeções e Leitura de Portfólios. A programação completa está disponível no site www.imagolisboa.pt.
Always confirm with the concert hall or promoter the access conditions, confirmation of the date and time, ticket sales location, price, and availability.
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