Uma Poética Resistente (exhibition)

Uma Poética Resistente opened on 17 May 2026 at Museu de Portimão to mark the museum's eighteenth anniversary, in partnership with the Museu do Neo-Realismo in Vila Franca de Xira. Curated by David Santos, the show brings together around 60 paintings, drawings, prints and photographs by artists linked to Portugal's neo-realist movement, including Portimão-born Margarida Tengarrinha and Querubim Lapa alongside Júlio Pomar and Júlio Resende. The works trace neo-realism from the mid-1930s to the late 1950s, when Portuguese artists used painting and print as a quiet form of resistance against the Estado Novo dictatorship, addressing hardship, rural life and social inequality while holding on to hope for change. The exhibition runs until 30 August 2026 inside the former sardine cannery that houses Museu de Portimão. From 15 July to 31 August the museum keeps summer hours, open Tuesday to Sunday from 15:00 to 23:00; standard admission is 3 euros, with a reduced rate of 1.50 euros.