Once Upon a Time in America

Era Uma Vez na América

Other

Friday 25 September · until 30 May

Drawing on the Julião Sarmento Collection, the exhibition reflects on the lasting influence of the American imaginary on international contemporary art, with works by Bruce Nauman, Ed Ruscha, Nan Goldin, Richard Serra and others. At its centre is Rita McBride's Arena, a large-scale architectural sculpture conceived as a space for encounter and debate.

Drawn from the Julião Sarmento Collection, Once Upon a Time in America proposes a reflection on the lasting influence of the North American imaginary on international contemporary art. Bringing together works by artists of different nationalities, the exhibition explores the cultural and visual impact of references associated with the United States, from cinema to urban space, from minimalism to realism, and how they marked the path of Julião Sarmento as an artist and collector. The title refers to Sergio Leone's famous film, but also to an idea of narrative and the construction of myth, coinciding with the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence. At the centre of the show is Arena (1997, 2026) by Rita McBride, a large-scale architectural sculpture conceived as a space for encounter, participation and debate, reinforcing the collective and democratic dimension of the project. With works by essential names such as Bruce Nauman, Ed Ruscha, Nan Goldin, Richard Serra, Robert Morris or John Baldessari, the exhibition traces a path through the multiple forms of representing and interpreting American culture in artistic creation over recent decades. At the same time, the Pavilhão presents Conversa de Corvos, the first solo exhibition in Portugal by Iranian-American artist Fariba Hajamadi, whose work crosses photography and installation to question memory, identity and dominant historical narratives. ARV. Tuesday to Sunday, from 11h to 19h. Guided tours: 25 July, at 11h (with LGP) and 29 August, at 11h. group show sculpture.