Encontros da Imagem

The 36th edition of Encontros da Imagem, under the theme Territories of the Imaginary | Enchanted Places, reflects on the ways in which we imagine, construct, and inhabit our shared world. This year, the festival invites us to imagine communities that transcend geographical boundaries, highlighting the interdependence between individuals and ecosystems in an interconnected world, where photography serves as both a collective record and an expression of identity: a way to imagine the future by revisiting the past and considering perspectives often excluded from dominant narratives. Curated by Wiktoria Michałkiewicz, the theme of this edition starts with the idea of community as a network of relationships between people, territories, memory, and other forms of life. In an era marked by constant and immediate access, but also by growing crises and conflicts, the festival seeks a common language of solidarity, responsibility, and inclusion—one capable of transcending national borders and identities.

In line with this purpose, Theatro Circo hosts Vigia, the new project by Rita Magalhães. Drawing on works from the Museu Nogueira da Silva collection, the Porto-based artist brings together photography, painting and visual memory to explore the plastic qualities of landscape. Through a contemplative approach grounded in processes of optical mediation, her work brings photographic imagery closer to the language of painting, enriching the critical dialogue at the heart of this year’s festival.