The Terras de Trás-os-Montes Contemporary Art Biennial – Linha da Terra opened its doors in Alfândega da Fé this Thursday, October 1st, with the inauguration of two exhibitions at the Casa da Cultura Mestre José Rodrigues and the Lagar D’El Rei. Organized by the Intermunicipal Community of Terras de Trás-os-Montes (CIM-TTM), the Biennial features 160 artists and 14 exhibitions across 13 spaces, running until December.
The opening also served to affirm culture as a pillar of regional development. Rui Costa, vice-president of CCDR NORTE for Culture, highlighted it as a priority axis for the future of the Northern region, valuing the investment in culture as an element of projection and territorial cohesion.
The first secretary of CIM-TTM emphasized the connection between the nine municipalities as a distinctive feature of the project, reinforcing cooperation and bringing art closer to communities. The Biennial aims to broaden access to culture and establish Terras de Trás-os-Montes as a territory of creation.
With artistic direction by Inês Falcão, Linha da Terra proposes a vision of the territory through art, crossing memory, heritage, and future transformations. The exhibitions in Alfândega da Fé exemplify this relationship.
At the Eng. Manuel Cunha Gallery (Casa da Cultura Mestre José Rodrigues), the exhibition “José Rodrigues — 90 anos | Na Linha da Terra”, curated by Ágata Rodrigues, revisits the sculptor's work, holding particular significance in Alfândega da Fé, the town of his family's roots.
At Lagar D’El Rei, “A Terra que nos Habita” (The Land that Inhabits Us), curated by Cabral Pinto, presents 20 perspectives on memory, matter, and transformation, inviting reflection on the landscape, nature, and people's relationship with the territory.
The Biennial's educational component includes workshops in schools and exhibition spaces, with artistic intervention actions planned in all municipalities to involve the local populations and enhance local identity.
Following Alfândega da Fé, inaugurations continue on October 2nd in Bragança, at the Centro Cultural Municipal Adriano Moreira, and also cover Macedo de Cavaleiros, Miranda do Douro, Mirandela, Mogadouro, Vila Flor, Vimioso, and Vinhais.
The organization by CIM-TTM involves the nine municipalities and partnerships with various cultural and academic institutions, including the Museu do Abade de Baçal and the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto.
