“Recentering: Memory, Clay, and Know-How” Colloquium

The results of the 2LEGACY exploratory project, funded by IN2PAST in 2024, will be presented at the “Recentering: Memory, Clay, and Know-How” colloquium, which will take place on September 20th and 21st at Évora Monte Castle, as part of the National Pottery Meeting.

Among music and flavors, the team led by Mathilda Coutinho (HERCULES – University of Évora / IN2PAST) aims to promote dialogue between different stakeholders involved in the country’s pottery heritage.

Participating are team members, other IN2PAST researchers, and professionals and institutional representatives from the sector, including Ana Paula Amendoeira, Vice President of CCDR Alentejo; Jorge Sobrado, Vice President of CCDR NORTE for Culture and Heritage; Teresa Costa, Executive Director of A.CERTIFICA (a certification body accredited by IPAC); and António Candeias, President of the IN2PAST Board of Directors (HERCULES – UÉvora / IN2PAST).

 

Participation is free, but registration is required through the online form available at https://forms.gle/tHtCX16AH3LhxCHx5.

 

EXHIBITION:

Synopsis
The exhibition “The Legacy of Estremoz Clay” brings together pieces created during the “Recentrar” Pottery Artistic Residency, organized within the scope of the 2LEGACY exploratory project between July 8 and 12, 2025, using clay prepared during the Clay Collection and Preparation Workshop for Ceramics exhibition held on April 11th and 12th.

It opens on September 19th, at 3 pm, in the Temporary Exhibition Room of the Prof. Joaquim Vermelho Municipal Museum of Estremoz, where it will remain on display until January 4th, 2026.

Admission is free.

 

2LEGACY – Exploring the Role of Raw Materials in Portuguese Ceramic Craftsmanship to Reclaim Lepierre’s Legacy for the Future is an exploratory project funded by IN2PAST that aims to explore the role of endogenous clay in traditional ceramic production, both in the past and in contemporary practices, using the cities of Estremoz and Barcelos as “living laboratories” for the regeneration of heritage and crafts. Knowledge transfer and active public engagement in the dialogue on the use of endogenous clay in modern craftsmanship are two of the project’s multiple strands.

Participants in the two-day workshop had the opportunity to collect clay in the field in Estremoz and prepare it for drying. Because the collected material needs to dry over time, the raw material for the July artistic residency was prepared using previously collected and dried clay.

During the five-day residency, hosted at the Estremoz Boneco Interpretive Center, pottery projects were developed with the support of Master Francisco Rosado (Xico Tarefa) and Marta Castelo (VICARTE – NOVA FCT / FBAUL), a member of the project team.

The exhibition “The Legacy of Estremoz Clay” is just one of the products of this year-long exploratory project, which is now coming to an end.

 

 

Project name/acronym: Exploring the role of raw materials in Portuguese ceramic craftsmanship to rescue Lepierre’s legacy for the future / 2LEGACY

Project team:
(IR) Mathilda Coutinho (HERCULES – University of Évora / IN2PAST)
(Co-IR) Patrícia Moita (HERCULES – UÉvora / IN2PAST)
Catarina Miguel (HERCULES – UÉvora / IN2PAST)
Eduarda Rovisco (CRIA – Iscte / IN2PAST)
Isabel Maria Fernandes (Lab2PT – University of Minho / IN2PAST)
João Pedro Veiga (CENIMAT/i3N – NOVA FCT)
Márcia Vilarigues (VICARTE – NOVA FCT)
Marta Castelo (VICARTE – NOVA FCT)
Massimo Beltrame (HERCULES – UÉvora / IN2PAST)
Sónia Mota Ribeiro (CRIA – NOVA FCSH / IN2PAST)

 

Project partners:
Municipality of Estremoz
ADOE – Estremoz Pottery Development Association
Alentejo Foundation
Estremoz Living Science Center
Pottery Museum/Municipality of Barcelos
Sèvres – Manufacture and National Museum
CEARTE – Center for Professional Training in Crafts and Heritage

 

Information: magldc@uevora.pt