João Abel Manta in Cascais
Stemming from a partnership between the Dom Luís I Foundation and Cascais Municipal Council, the exhibition João Abel Manta: Máquina de Imagens, devoted to Manta’s graphic work, opened to the public on 5 October in Cascais Citadel Palace. Curated by Pedro Piedade Marques, the exhibition focuses on the work of this artist, draughtsman, illustrator and cartoonist between the 1940s and the 1980s.
Nine drawings from the CAM Collection have travelled to Cascais to form part of the display, including highlights such as the illustrations created in 1972 for the work Dinossauro Excelentíssimo [Most Excellent Dinosaur], by José Cardoso Pires, and Ornitóptero [Ornithopter], made in 1960, a year before João Abel Manta was awarded the drawing prize at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation 2nd Visual Arts Exhibition.
The exhibition also includes pieces from other major museums, such as the Museum of Lisbon and the National Museum of Contemporary Art – Museu do Chiado, as well as works from the artist’s own collection. This is the first exhibition devoted to João Abel Manta’s graphic work in thirty years. Divided into thematic sections, which follow his career and the history of Portugal in chronological order, the exhibition will run until 16 January.