We are celebrating the opening of the new CAM – Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian building with an exhibition that pays homage to artist Fernando Lemos, ‘The Occidental Calligrapher. Fernando Lemos and Japan,’ which will take place in the Engawa Space between 21 September 2024 and 20 January 2025.

A multifaceted artist, Fernando Lemos’s work spans several different areas, from illustration to design, painting and photography, facets we can discover in this catalogue designed by Ilhas Studio.

In partnership with Tinta-da-china, the catalogue includes essays by the exhibition’s curators, Leonor Nazaré and Rosely Nakagawa, who discuss Fernando Lemos’ relationship with Japan from 1963 onwards, the year he received a Gulbenkian Foundation grant to study Japanese calligraphy; an important essay by renowned anthropologist and critic Ryuta Imafuku on the influence of Japanese culture in 20th century Europe; and a photobiography of the artist’s time in Japan.

Conceived as a reflection of the exhibition, this ambitious catalogue includes a selection of more than 200 of the works on display, including works by artists directly related to Lemos’ estate, such as Jorge Molder and Ana Hatherly, as well as a set of prints from the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum.