PLAY(THE)GROUND:
(In)visible territories

SPRING RESIDENCIES IN CENTRO DE DIA NOSSA SENHORA DOS ANJOS AND CENTRO HOSPITALAR PSIQUIÁTRICO DE LISBOA

<< FUND AN ARTIST >>

—  project duration
    February 18th 2025 - May 20th 2025

—  curatorial team
    Lígia Fernandes
    Ludmila Nawrotzki 
    Nicole Sánchez
    Ricarda Oldekop 
    Sophia Niederkofler
    Zoë Nowraty

—  contacts
     Natalia Bošković
     Anika Borko
     Mihaela Rašica
     Lyuba Hrisimova

—  partner organization
   CENTRO HOSPITALAR PSIQUIÁTRICO DE LISBOA
   CENTRO DE DIA NOSSA SENHORA DOS ANJOS - SANTA CASA

—  support

    DGARTES 
    ARTISTAS ANONIMOS
    HORTAS LX
    LISBON DRAWING CLUB
    MOURARIA CREATIVE HUB - CML
   UNIVERSIDADE LUSÓFONA
   RÁDIO AURORA
  

—  support
communication
    GERADOR

"A city - (...) - is a complex organism that lives and reflects the lives of tens or hundreds of thousands of people. It reflects the nature of their activities, interests, culture and habits.


It appears harmoniously ordered in all its buildings if the inhabitants have been and are disciplined, aware of the benefits of mutual respect and cooperation. It benefits from the presence of imposing buildings if the economy is unburdened and the views of the citizens are wide; and if culture and artistic taste have deep roots among the population, it is only natural that this should be reflected in the buildings and urban ensembles..."

Francisco Keil do Amaral in 'Lisbon, a city in transformation' 1969

When we talk about contemporary cities, do we see them as cohesive territory, a mesh that brings people together, or further apart? How does the growth, the modernization, the exponentially frenetic rhythm in which we live by, affect territories in the city, to the extent of invisibility? How come we all know what these facilities are for, or even where they are, but fail to be curious about them, until we are exposed to some sort of necessity of them? How do they exist in the heart of the city, are public, and yet are to some extend invisible to the public? Can we bring them to surface as part of everyone in society, becoming a common ground for art and culture, bringing the invisibility to the visible transgressing physical boundaries and architectural borders?


In the spring of 2025 we invite you to two spaces that while placed in the very center of Lisbon, have remained largely unnoticed by those who pass by. These two communities, the daycare center and the psychiatric hospital, hold in them a full ecosystem that strives to live a normal life within the complexities of mental health and ageing. On the mystery of being just 'facilities' these territories host in them more than just basic survival care. They are open territories to bring in the everyday life of the city to make them visible and normalize their purpose, as not just for those in need or when needed. They are demanding and constantly seeking a sense of 'normality' to ease their presence, transforming the lives of those who use them in a more visible way. As passers-by do we ever feel curious about them, and by entering we feel a sense of trespassing or are we passively engaging and be part of their 'transparency'? This transparency is not by location or architecture but rather by a thin layer of societal labels that slowly exclude these spaces from the lives of many.

We hope that you will return with a new perspective, a reflection or a lesson, and above all, obligations which may last, long after this experience.

The PLAY(THE)GROUND program is a multidisciplinary residency aimed at people who are looking for space, focused time, and stimulating conversations that can help kick off or further develop a project that will engage with one of the two facilities in the center of Lisbon . Applicants can decide where to work, and for how long, during spring 2025.

<< Read the FAQ here >>

The studios are available from 18TH February 2025 to 20th May 2025. In the application process, candidates can indicate their time periods of occupation of the studios. In this way, we hope to meet the needs of potential residents as flexibly as possible.



Applicants can decide to work in different locations: