PRESENTATION
A cove is defined by its "Form"—a curved indentation in the coastline creating a small bay, framed by two elevated headlands—and also by the concept of "Protection," as it offers calmer, sheltered waters compared to the open sea, serving as a natural harbor.
Funchal Bay holds another distinctive feature: it is intersected not by one, but by two streams. It was this waterway that once separated the artisans' quarter from the merchants' district—an area that flourished in the city's early days thanks to the sugar trade. This is where Funchal’s town square emerged...
My project is situated in this very spot—a central location and a confluence point for waters, people, and trends. It spans the history from the era of the *Pelourinho* (pillory) to the age of Autonomy...
This site also houses the São Filipe Fort Museum Center, which preserves the story of the city's structural development and displays artifacts—such as stones, ceramics, porcelain, ironwork, and beads—that tell the tale of the cultural and artistic influences that arrived here.
Projecto Vital
Set amidst the waters of the sea and the streams, the flow of people and traffic, and the interplay between tradition and new trends, Projecto Vital established itself here after 2010, witnessing changes while remaining attuned to the times.
The shop offers personalized, handcrafted services to revitalize how people live, decorate, and furnish their homes in Madeira, using fabrics to bring comfort, color, and design to living spaces. The work is rooted in the bay’s themes of "protection, welcoming, and comfort," yet it remains constantly influenced by the new trends that arrive and circulate here.
And why not incorporate Art?
In this spirit, my project as an artist is to bring my painting into this space—a space that engages in a dialogue with tradition and the artisan's craft, absorbing references while adding new layers of meaning to the images gathered there.
I present three works:
1
FUNCHAL BAY | 2026
Acrylic painting over an 18th-century engraving by George Child titled "Island of Madera," printed on canvas | 185 x 108 cm
Displayed on the exterior is a work consisting of a painting applied over a print of an 18th-century engraving by George Child titled "Island of Madera."
This historical map features an 18th-century depiction of the island of Madeira, highlighting locations such as Funchal and Santa Cruz—with a particular focus on Funchal Bay—and, below, the *Dracaena draco* (Dragon Tree) and its "dragon's blood" resin. The image illustrates the tree alongside a hanging pot used to collect the plant's reddish resin, underscoring its utility not only as a panacea for all ailments but also as a rich pigment for the decorative arts.
My intervention involves painting the lines of the transatlantic fiber-optic cables that connect the Americas, Africa, and Europe, with landing points on Madeira Island in Funchal and Machico, respectively.
It is through these cables that information, influences, and the new arrive.
Everything comes by sea; while modes of transport change, Funchal Bay remains a point of confluence.
The map also highlights Santa Cruz, where the artist held his previous exhibition, "Indigenous, Exotic, Invasive" (*Indígena, Exótica, Invasora*), which explored the influence of technology and flora on Madeira's identity and culture.
This work was created specifically for Enseada.
2
AFRICAN LYRATA BENEATH PORTUGUESE WAVES WITH A MADEIRAN SEAT | 2023
Oil and acrylic painting on canvas | 80 x 50 cm
The second work is a painting originally presented in 2023. In it, I depict a section of the blue tile wainscoting from the Funchal City Hall atrium, alongside a chair and a plant. The piece features an antique chair that appears to be either emerging from or receding into the canvas, alongside a "trendy" plant of African origin.
The work explores themes of time, presence, influences, and impermanence.
The artwork will be displayed discreetly on an interior column within the store, beneath a light fixture, creating a space that echoes the store's own aesthetic references.
3
ACANTHUS | 2026
Acrylic painting on canvas | 210 x 240 cm
The third work, created specifically for Enseada, is a large-format panel painting featuring a composition of elements that celebrate art, painting, and decorative design:
A tiled wainscot in blue, inspired by the Atrium of the Funchal City Hall;
Designs inspired by porcelain pieces found at the São Filipe Fort Museum (birds, dragons, plants, flowers, animals, and graphic patterns); and ceramic roof finials typical of and unique to Madeira. Symbolically, roof finials are associated with protection and good fortune for the home and its inhabitants.
These elements share a common feature: the curves of the acanthus leaf.
The acanthus (*Acanthus mollis*) is a perennial herbaceous plant renowned for its large, deeply cut, glossy leaves, which served as a historical inspiration for Greco-Roman classical architecture.
The deeply cut acanthus leaves were the primary inspiration for the ornaments carved into the capitals of Corinthian columns in Ancient Greece.
Originating in the Mediterranean, this historic plant is considered exotic or invasive in Portugal and Madeira.
