
A few weeks ago when I passed through the arc that separates Rua de S. Gens and Tv do Monte the poets of Graça that have decorated the arc’s walls since 2014 were gone.
We pass through that arc several times everyday and enjoy it every time – so it was a bit of a shock to see the white walls.
The following morning – when I passed through the arc again and saw buckets with fluid, cans of paint, ladders, brushes etc lined up against the wall I realised that a new piece was in the making.
That was on 30 July. 9 days later the piece was finished. And it’s absolutely amazing.
The mixed media, 3D, fairy tale installation by local Graça artist Jorge Romão is just next door to our local hang – out spot Vino Vero. I love sitting there watching visitors following the directions from google map. When they enter the ‘new’ arc they all stop for a while and look at the purple flowers hanging from the tree, the snails crawling on its branches…. and the small crocodiles… and among it all – a recolored old photo of the arc 100 years ago…
When you reach this spot after climbing the Lisbon’s 8th hill you are almost at Tings Lisbon and of course the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte: Lisbon’s best viewpoint.
Like most of the other works of the EBANO Collective’s: Street artists meets Literature from 2014, the portrait of Portugal’s most popular poets that used to decorate the arc’s walls is now history. To be honest, this urban art piece had its heyday years ago – it was falling apart and looked miserable
I f you are on the way to Lisbon don’t miss Jorge Romão’s exhibition O Triunfo Do Kitsch (e do lixo) at our local gallery Arte Graça that runs until 29 July
Whether it’s intended or not Jorge Romão compensated for his ‘vandalism’ by creating a brand new poetry wall 100 meters from the arc. A homage to the poet of them all: Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen.
Just around the corner from us you can see his 3 x 9 m acrylic tiled wall: The World of Sophia… a true gem and wonderfully different compared to much of the urban art we see today!
When you walk down from the hill after having enjoyed the view its on your right hand sight. Spend a few minutes by the wall – its all in the details!!
I liked the old portrait in the arc. But this new piece is a very good replacement.
Every occasion has a hidden treasure … as the saying goes 🙂
Enjoy,
Thomas