Once Upon a Time in America

Era Uma Vez na América

Other

Wednesday 23 September · until 30 May

The exhibition Once Upon a Time in America, from the Julião Sarmento Collection, explores the enduring influence of the American imaginary on international contemporary art, with works by Bruce Nauman, Ed Ruscha, Nan Goldin, among others, and Rita McBride's sculpture Arena. In parallel, the Pavilhão presents Conversa de Corvos, the first solo exhibition in Portugal by Iranian-American artist Fariba Hajamadi.

Based on the Julião Sarmento Collection, Once Upon a Time in America proposes a reflection on the enduring 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 these marked Julião Sarmento's path as an artist and collector. The title refers to Sergio Leone's famous film, but also to an idea of narrative and myth-making, coinciding with the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence. At the center of the exhibition 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 representation and interpretation of American culture in the artistic creation of recent decades. At the same time, the Pavilion presents Conversa de Corvos, the first individual 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, 11am–7pm. Guided tours: July 25, 11am (with LGP) and August 29, 11am. Collective sculpture.