Joana Vasconcelos' Castles of Portugal

oana Vasconcelos is our most renowned plastic artist, currently holding an individual exhibition at the Guggenheim in Bilbao. She takes inspiration from arquitecture in general and especially Castles and Palaces. Her exhibitions are proof of that, since she often displays her giant and modern masterpieces in wonderful heritage buildings.

This is an adaptation of what she told the national newspaper Expresso, for a special Castles and Palaces' Guide Edition.

These buildings have not only the ability to reveal our story as people and society, but also have contributed to our dreams of a happy ending, through fairy tales of princes and princesses. It is from these stories that we have formed our romance concepts and behaviours. A great deal of childrens' tales are about a princess which is saved by prince charming. All this happening in a wonderful castle and palace, leading them to a rich and fulfilled life. So we, as a society, always long for something great. It's no wonder Joana Vasconcelos takes inspiration from Portugal's Castles and Palaces. And while some make the headlines, others are hidden gems. So we're going to explore these and bring our castles to you.

Photo by Francisco Antunes [2] - Flickr [1], CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2283573