The exhibition ‘The Factory of Shadows’, featuring works by Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller at the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova, has been extended until Sunday, 6 July. It is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with free admission.
The closing programme concludes on 5 July with a finissage celebration featuring an outdoor sardine barbecue, starting at 7 p.m. Reservations must be made by 3 July via the booking form. At 8.30pm, there will be a tour of the monastery curated by Jazz ao Centro Clube, showcasing performances by Cláudio Vidal and artist-researcher Ece Canlı, who will present her new album S A C R O S U N. The evening will then continue with a DJ set by David Rodrigues from 11pm onwards.
Director Marco Paiva will lead the workshop Artists, Collectives and Territories — a practical exploration of site-specific artistic creation and community engagement — from 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. (Cost: €5. Register here.)
The official closing day, on 6 July, will be marked by representatives from the three organisers of Anozero – Coimbra Bienal: Círculo de Artes Plásticas de Coimbra, Coimbra City Council and the University of Coimbra.
Given the complex history and architectural significance of the Santa Clara-a-Nova monastery—a religious site later transformed into a military barracks and now home to Anozero—'The Factory of Shadows' seeks to offer fresh interpretations of this monastic complex, reframing both the artists' work and the space itself. The presence of this artistic duo in such an iconic building firmly establishes it as a key venue for contemporary art in Portugal and Europe.
George Bures Miller highlighted the importance of the relationship between the space and the works chosen for the exhibition: "After seeing this space, we thought of pieces that would fit in well here, because it's a unique place. The building is impressive. And you have to find—and we hope we did—the right pieces to enhance the environment in a way that doesn’t compete with it but integrates well within it."
Janet Cardiff reinforced the connection between art and context: "We've exhibited some different works in different places. For example, Forty Part Motet was shown in the Cloisters of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, which is essentially an old Spanish church. It's somewhat similar. This one is a truly impressive space."
Anozero - Coimbra Biennial has been organised since 2015 by the Coimbra Plastic Arts Circle in partnership with Coimbra City Council and the University of Coimbra, fostering reflection on the classification of the University of Coimbra – Alta and Sofia as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.
With an average of 100,000 visitors per edition, Anozero - Coimbra Biennial is the most visited contemporary art event in the country.
Translation: Diana Taborda [DCM-UC]