From September 12th to 15th, @coletivo.correntedear festival starts the city’s art season. This year in a new space at Beato Innovation District. With 81 artists and 130 works on display, the event offers a relaxed space to discuss and enjoy contemporary art and meet new artists in Lisbon.
@MOCHIS What inspired the creation of this project?
@CCDA It all began during our Erasmus exchange in Budapest. We met this German couple who would put out an open call in the two big arts universities in town, clear out their living room and set up an exhibition in their apartment. People brought food and drinks and there were artworks in the toilet. We loved this experience of community and networking, creating a bridge where before there wasn't one.
Then in 2021, late covid times, we decided to do the same thing in a random apartment building in Lisbon, calling it Corrente de Ar - air draft - our idea was to open the doors and windows and let the air, the people and the artworks in, in a mutable, flexible and uncomplicated way. It was all about allowing people to talk about art in an intimate and comfortable setting, not only “art people” but creatives from all industries, different types of public who know and don’t know about art and oftentimes just passersby.
@MOCHIS In what ways does your project aim to influence and reshape the art industry?
@CCDA Our main goal has always been to democratise the access and language around art and to give opportunity to artists who are truly starting out.
We don’t use “artspeak”, we don’t close doors or objects behind bars in immaculate white cubes. We promote artists in whose work we see a spark, something of value, they don’t need to have it all figured out yet.
We hope to influence an uncomplicated approach, to establish that you don’t need to know about art to appreciate it, that art can and should be something to live with, not exclusive to museum walls and that there are a myriad of ways to talk about it - it doesn’t need to be in hushed voices using tetrasyllabic words.
@MOCHIS What challenges have you faced as a collective, particularly in the context of how our country supports culture, and how have you navigated them?
@CCDA There is so much talent in Portugal and we love the community we have built and what we see is that there is hunger and need for what we are doing - Portugal needs more projects like this.
The biggest challenge has definitely been bureaucracy, you need to jump through hoops to get things done correctly, nothing is straightforward. We are now officially a non-profit and we’re still learning as we go, you need to be incredibly strong minded and resourceful not let these things deter you.
@MOCHIS How do you believe we can best support artists in today's world?
@CCDA The best way to support artists is undeniably buying their work and not asking for a discount or requesting things for free. Obviously, this is not always possible. If purchasing isn't feasible for you, simply showing up to exhibitions and events is a valuable form of support, as well as following and sharing the artist’s work on social media.
Yet, this is a two way street and art can sometimes feel intimidating. One of our aims is to break down barriers by creating a welcoming environment for "outsiders," combining various creative disciplines, and offering diverse entry points to engage with art, hopefully allowing people to discover unexpected interests.
@MOCHIS How do you envision the evolution of Coletivo Corrente de Ar?
@CCDA We can envision its evolution along two main paths. First, there's the natural expansion of the festival itself. This would involve growing the exhibition space, showcasing more artists, and enriching the program with a wider array of parallel events. These could include diverse offerings from musicians, chefs, and other creatives, creating a more immersive and multifaceted experience.
A second, equally important path lies in deepening the support provided to artists. This could involve developing programs to guide first-time exhibitors, offering artist representation services, and creating a robust artist advisory system. Additionally, the collective could expand into mentorship programs, organise educational talks and workshops, develop courses, and even establish artist residencies.
@MOCHIS What can we expect from your fourth edition?
@CCDA You can expect a much bigger space, this year we’re partnering with Beato Innovation District, and this means more artists - we’re exhibiting 81 artists - and more artworks.
Additionally, we’re partnering with Browers, Super Bock’s new line of artisanal beer, so you can come and try it. We will have an after-party on Thursday at Arroz Estúdios to celebrate
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