The artist António Soares dos Reis (1847-1889) submitted in 1867 the sculpture Firmino (1867) to the Academia Portuense de Belas Artes as a competition entry for an overseas scholarship. A plaster bust, facing forward with the head twisted, where the shaping of the hair, moustache and eyes comes to the fore. These traits, as can be seen in the sketches, may have been key features to consider when drawing up the piece that was awarded the competition. Interestingly, the person who posed for Soares dos Reis was António Firmino dos Santos Almeida, himself a sculpture student and, later, a doorman at Museu Portuense and a model at the Academia’s Nude Class.

Firmino (1867), Estudo de modelo nu e busto de Firmino (n.d.) and Perfil de modelo masculino (n.d.) are the three works by Soares dos Reis on show at the museum, which is currently honouring the artist. The pieces were chosen as the motto and inspiration for the 2024 edition of the Afinidades project, this year focused on contemporary jewellery, resulting in an exhibition curated by Inês Nunes.

Afinidades is the brainchild of a partnership between Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis (MNSR) and Associação Quarteirão Criativo (Miguel Bombarda, Porto), intended to be a five-edition cycle, with annual themes, including exhibitions, workshops and debates, stimulating creative dialogue between the Quarteirão community and the MNSR’s history and collection, built on the ties between the museum, the territory and the surrounding area.

Quarteirão Cultural de Miguel Bombarda is known for its contemporary art galleries, leisure, cultural and gastronomic facilities, with stores distinguished by their variety and uniqueness, with alternative pieces of clothing, jewellery, furniture, vinyl and children’s books. There are simultaneous openings every two months, with guided tours of the exhibitions and other cultural events, such as music, dance, drawing and painting workshops, among many others. Creating a cultural hub in the city, bringing together several art galleries, was relevant to Porto’s gallery scene. It all started in 1997, prompted by the gallerist Fernando Santos, with several galleries moving into Rua Miguel Bombarda and the adjoining streets. Then, in 2007, the project Inaugurações Simultâneas was launched, asserting the quarter as a creative district and an ongoing project. The rehabilitation works on the street began in 2009, with the pedestrian walkway project featuring designs by Ângelo de Sousa being the highlight. The Quarteirão Criativo association, now chaired by Tânia Almeida Santos, was formed in 2022 and its main purpose is the local development of the Bombarda area.

This cultural cluster in Porto is also important as a contemporary jewellery scene, boasting a substantial number of galleries, workshops and stores with speciality pieces. For this reason, this year’s edition of Afinidades was geared towards this artistic output. A call for works went out to jewellers and artists from different fields in the Quarteirão to develop pieces inspired by Firmino (1867), bearing in mind the themes of the body, drawing, objects and space in art. Competition with a jury made up of Estefânia Almeida, Carla Castiajo, Inês Nunes, Marina Costa, Susana Medina + Hugo Cahill and Teresa Dantas. The pieces are on display in Afinidades na Joalharia Contemporânea at MNSR, one of which will be chosen by the institution to become part of its store, as voted for by the exhibition’s visitors.

The exhibition project was devised to resemble a nude model drawing room, to reflect on the notion of moving from jewellery to sculpture. The pieces are laid out on tables, enhanced by occasional lighting, arranged in a semicircle, with a spotlight in the center, possibly embodying Firmino when he posed for Soares dos Reis during the competition. Offering a broad range of shapes, materials and types, from necklaces to rings and crowns, in baked clay, resin and paper, each piece unveils the potential and complexity of contemporary jewellery as an artistic expression. According to the curator’s words in the exhibition text: “It stands out for itself, interacting with the limits of the body or being an extension of it, and/or for the context in which it is presented. It stems from an intimate process of whoever wants to express their originality through it, owing to the diversity of interpretations, although the intention may only be one, from the artist’s standpoint.”

Afinidades na Joalharia Contemporânea is on display at Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis until November 16, 2024.