ÁGORA

This exhibition emerges from the meeting of two key lines of inquiry in Susana Cereja’s practice: the exploration of vital origin, “Matriz”, and the definition of a space of departure and return, “Casa de Partida”. By bringing these two dimensions together, Ágora takes shape as a symbolic territory: a space that is clearly defined yet open, where the thread of wool becomes the guiding line of an ontology of making. What connects these dimensions is the movement from genesis to the collective. While “Matriz” delves into the Latin root, the womb and the nourishing source, “Casa de Partida” provides structure and momentum. Ágora thus appears as the place where this opening occurs: the point where the private becomes public and the domestic turns into a shared statement. Here, we understand that there is no movement without a base, and no matrix that does not aspire to the world. A Geography of Affection and Resistance, this convergence builds a symbolic ecosystem governed by an “ethics of slowness”, evoking the heart of the Greek pólis, the democratic space par excellence. In this universe, value lies in the back-and-forth of the needle, setting a rhythm that is, in itself, a form of political resistance. Embroidery becomes an act of rebellion against forgetting and dehumanisation, where the sacred of ancient mythologies descends to the ground to inhabit the hands of communities. Historically, ágoras were spaces for artisans, making manual labour visible and shared; in a similar way, this practice is reclaimed here. The artist moves beyond decoration, elevating the Arraiolos stitch to the language of contemporary art. By removing embroidery from its domestic and craft-bound context, Susana Cereja creates installations that challenge the limits of support and scale. This renewed perspective revitalises the traditional language of Portuguese tapestry, restoring the place of excellence and historical prestige it has long held within local culture. Curated by — Unidigrazz With the support of — F. Gulbenkian / JFAMM / CMS