After four years of extensive renovations, Lisbon’s Gulbenkian Centro de Arte Moderna (CAM) is finally reopening this year. It’s been closed since August 2020, but according to a statement released on February 22, the stunning museum – which is widely considered one of the best in Portugal – should reopen on September 20.
The building has been transformed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who’s known for his use of natural materials. It’s inspired by the concept of ‘engawa’, which means a ‘space of interaction between inside and outside’.
It will house the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s stunning collection of modern and contemporary Portuguese art, as well as works by international artists (of which there are almost 12,000 pieces in total). The new CAM will have an entrance on Rua Marquês da Fronteira and there’ll be a brand new gallery to house exhibitions from the permanent collection. The drawing room (next door) will be used for paper-based artwork.
Surrounding the museum is a public garden, redesigned by landscaper Vladimir Djurovic, who’s previously designed the gardens of the Aga Khan Park. The site was expanded by two hectares, and that includes a new building which has a roof made of white ceramic tiles.
‘We created a perfect fusion, where architecture and garden interact in harmony. Inspired by the essence of engawa, we open a new relationship with the outside, inviting visitors to slow down and make this space their own space. The idea of softness and transition extends to the interior of CAM, where we designed new spaces, replicating the building’s connection to the garden and external light,’ said Kengo Kuma in a statement.
For the launch, the Main Gallery will be taken over by an immersive exhibition by Leonor Antunes, a Portuguese artist who creates sculptural installations. In the future, featured artists will be able to curate their collections in this space.
Also in the opening programme is the ‘Linha de Maré’ exhibition, with over 90 different works of various mediums, as well as a collection from Portuguese-Brazilian artist Fernando Lemos, who studied Japanese calligraphy and photography. There’ll also be artwork by various Japanese artists such as Yasuhiro Morinaga and Ryoko Sekiguchi to reinforce the Japanese influences behind the building’s design.
Here are some snaps of what it will look like.
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