Contemporary art has made its most acute path outside the big institutions. Independent movements and initiatives were of the utmost importance in the development of the artists’ works, but, above all, in the affirmation of the critic verve inherent to those works: the critic of the art system, the critic of the art history, the critic of society, culture and politics. Thus, the history of alternative spaces to museums is as important to the arts as the history of those big art clusters. [For more information, see Jürgens, Sandra Vieira, Instalações Provisórias: independência, autonomia, alternativa e informalidade. Artistas e exposições em Portugal no século XX. Sistema Solar (Documenta)]

FEA Lisboa is a festival of artists spaces which reminds precisely the importance of this dynamic that densifies and introduces new modes of action, of seeing and research, both in the artistic perspective and the curatorial one. And more pertinent this whole initiative becomes when we realize that it occurs in the same time as one of the most influential art fairs such as ARCOlisboa.

In this context, FEA Lisboa offers several marginal shows and itineraries, certainly peculiar, in artists’ studios, spaces whose primal program wasn’t designed for exhibitions, therefore creating an overlay of curious experiences, or in galleries outside the institutionalized circuit.

The proposals are immense and diversified, scattered all-over Lisbon, hence we strongly recommend a planned visit by accessing the project’s website.

Don’t miss it, FEA Lisboa, from 18 to 20 May, from 5 to 9 p.m.