Portuguese doors, windows & tiles

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Toothpicker

I have a slight obsession with doors and windows of façades, as well as staircases. I can’t remember exactly when I started photographing them, but I took the ‘mission’ slightly more seriously over the past few years esp. during my travels. I must have taken hundreds of photos over the years from Seoul to Berlin, to Singapore etc as I find these architectural details extremely fascinating. If we think of fashion as a means of a personal expression, then perhaps the façade of a building is not so dissimilar.

In Portugal, there is a diverse array of architectural styles that can be seen on the streets. Hence, I thoroughly enjoyed walking up/down the hilly cobbled streets and taking photographs of windows, doors and the conspicuous tile-covered houses. These architectural details not only reflect the styles and trends of the a certain period (i.e. art deco and art Nouveau), they also reveal the distinctive tastes of the architects or owners.

The introduction of azulejos/tiles from Spain in the early 16th century by King Manuel I profoundly changed the streetscape of Portugal. Originally this ornamental art form was applied onto the walls and façades of monasteries and churches by master-designers (Porto has some outstanding examples of them); but thanks to the industrialisation of decorative tiles and new methods like transfer-printing, decorating houses with azulejos became fashionable from the 19th century onwards. Now we can still see a startling range of azulejos on building façades when we walk down the streets in cities like Lisbon, Porto and in smaller towns too.

Although many of these kaleidoscopic azulejos seen on the streets are printed rather than hand-painted, their artistic value should not be underestimated. And most importantly, they convey a sense of vibrancy and individuality to the streetscape of the cities/towns, making them utterly charming and unique.

Portuguese crafts and designs

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Toothpicker

Magetica magazine gallery at Cidadela art district, showcasing knitted creations by Urostigre; Bottom right: Gosto D’Africa

One of the (many) reasons why I love Portugal is that it is immensely artistic. Art can be seen everywhere, from street art to azulejos in churches; and the Portuguese particularly excel in handicrafts, which has been passed down from its tradition. Designing and making things appear to be an innate trait of the Portuguese, and during my travel, I came across many beautiful locally-made crafts and designs that combine natural materials, traditional craftsmanship with a contemporary touch (or humour).

In Cascais, I stumbled upon a New year arts and crafts market on its last day near the seafront, and I had an interesting chat with the father and daughter team selling a colourful range of jewellery and fashion accessories inspired by African prints, motifs and patterns. I later learned that the designer behind the Lisbon-based Gosto D’Africa is in fact the wife of the vendor. After rummaging around the stall for a while, I eventually bought a scarf with African print on one side and fleece on the other for €14. A bargain for a handmade and unique item!

And while I was at Cidadela art district, I was enchanted by the knitted animal heads/hats display in one of the galleries/shops, Magetica magazine. Urostigre was founded by Lisbon-based artist and knitter Sónia Pessoa, who created an animal that is half bear (urso) and half tiger (tigre). She uses eco-friendly yarn for her fashion and accessory creations, which often features this imaginative ‘bear tiger’ animal. You can view her one of a kind creations above or via her website.

Top left, 2nd & 3rd rows: Gente Da Minha Terra

In Evora, most of the handicrafts shops are concentrated on Rua 5 de Outubro before the Cathedral. There are souvenir shops selling fashion and home accessories made of local cork ( Portugal is well known for their cork designs), local wine and azulejos etc. One shop in particular stands out from the crowd, and it is Gente Da Minha Terra (no.39). Although the shop is not very big, it has a fantastic range of locally made contemporary crafts and design objects including stationery, woolen blankets, and even donkey milk soap wrapped in sheep’s wool (see above)!

Top & 2nd rows: Associação Sócio Cultural Terapêutica de Évora; 3rd left: products made of cork; 3rd right: handmade pouch & phone cover

Another shop that caught my attention was A Mo on Rua Vasco da Gama 2. The shop itself resembles a kitchen, and so I was curious to find out what was inside when I walked past it.

Once inside, I was surrounded by wooden toys, kids’ furniture and all sorts of cute and lovely handicrafts. I spoke to the lady in the shop and she explained to me that the shop is part of Associação Sócio Cultural Terapêutica de Évora, a private institution for Social Solidarity and it provides therapeutic activities for people with mental disability. The arts and crafts are made by the community in the institute’s studios. And as a small gesture of supporting good cause, I eventually bought two handmade accessories as souvenir to give to my friends back home.

Traditional ceramics, tiles and textiles

Back in Lisbon, the newest and coolest crafts and designs shopping destination is Embaixada (which I will write more about in my future entry) in Principe Real. Here, you can find a wide range of contemporary crafts that are inspired by the traditional heritage and culture (including ceramic pasteis de nata for those who adores it). Further down the street, there is also Lisbonlovers, which sells crafts and designs that are inspired by the charming city.

Top & 4th rows: Embaixada; 3rd row: Lisbonlovers

The art of Andalusian azulejos

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Toothpicker

Top: Plaza de España; 2nd row left: Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo; 2nd row middle, right & 3rd row: Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija; Bottom left: Hospital de los Venerables; Bottom right: Alhambra.

I have always love azulejos/ ceramic tiles, and I was especially escatic when I was in Portugal because there is beautiful tilework everywhere. The traditional art form was introduced by the Moors about 6 centuries ago, besides Portugal, Seville’s Hispano-Moresque tile industry also flourished by adopting old techniques like cuerda seca (‘dry string’) and cuenca.

Seville’s Triana district was once the ceramic centre but like many traditional arts and crafts around the world, this is a dying art form and only a few azulejos shops remain today. However, inside the former ceramic factory, Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo (CAAC), there is still some interesting tile work that can be seen as a backdrop for the contemporary art display.

Although the demise of the ceramic tile industry is inevitable, the footprints of its glory days are still visible everywhere in Andalusia today. Aside from different palacios and historical sites, they are used as signs for shops and restaurants, street advertising, and simply as decorations ( or as cooling system) for churches and houses. The themes of the tile work vary, but two particularly interesting themes include scenes with the cities’ landmarks as the backdrop and scenes that depict cities’ past/ traditional way of life.

City landmarks

The Giralda bell tower and Torre del Oro ( The Gold Tower) are often used in Seville, while the tower at the Mezquita de Córdoba is used in Cordoba as the backdrop of the art work.

History, traditional life and bullfighting

The cities’ history ( including lives under the Roman and Moorish rules) and the traditional way of living are common themes for these tile work. And not surprisingly, scenes of bullfighting are often depicted too.

Religion

With so many monasteries, convents and churches in the region, tile work with religious themes can also be found at these sanctuaries. However, unlike the Portuguese who often cover the entire facade with amazing azulejos, Andalusians are more low-key and would create smaller plaques.

Bars and cafes

Beautiful tile work outside of restaurants and cafes can attract passerby’s attention, so it can be a good marketing strategy…

Shops

The same rule applies to shops, esp. ceramic artisans ( obviously) and even pharmacies!

Last but not least, tiles used on the facades of architecture can also enhance the aesthetics of the buildings and streets. And interestingly, every building’s tile work is unique, so it is a joy and visual feast for passerby. When you next visit Andalusia, don’t forget to admire the traditional and beautiful street art.