EXHIBITION - QUANDO OS JARDINS CONVERSAM/WHEN GARDENS SPEAK

Image of exhibition at Casa do Jardim da Estrela, an art centre in Lisbon, located in the iconic Jardim da Estrela.

During January 2026 the final stage of the projet "Quando os Jardins Conversam" - "When gardens speak" happened at Casa do Jardim da Estrela.

This exhibition emerged from a proposal by myself, Maria Lusitano, addressed to eight artists who have been meeting in dialogues within virtual “human gardens.”

Ana Efe, João Silva, Inês Rolo Amado, Marta Wengorovius, Mónica Coelho, Paulo Romāo Brás Rui Mourão and Telmo Silva.

From these conversations arose the perception that the project constructs itself as a living organism, following two movements of the garden: interiority and revelation. Interiority draws inspiration from ancient Andalusian gardens—interior spaces sheltered at the heart of houses, marked by coolness and contemplation. Revelation corresponds to the moment of opening to the outside, inviting sharing.

Image of the exhibition

This dialogue between inner and outer gardens echoes pedagogical approaches such as that of Friedrich Fröbel, linked to the kindergarten—the first in Portugal—located in the building that now houses Casa do Jardim da Estrela. In this spirit, the artists seek a collaborative process that includes the more-than-human realm, grounded in deep listening and co-creation. The work emerges as a living sculpture, shaped by relationships.

During a shared residency, they work in constant dialogue with one another and with the garden, in an ongoing process of experimentation. The result is always process: inspired matter, open conversation.

The final exhibition proposes a space where the inner gardens of each artist meet and intertwine, giving rise to a single living garden in continuous transformation, built through communion among all, and opening itself to the public, inviting participation, interiority, and contemplation.

Image of the exhibition "Quando os Jardins Conversam"