© Photo: Fernando Guerra

  en
The Hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Conceição is a small chapel built in 1707, located in a small alleyway — Travessa Marta Pinto — adjacent to several important historical buildings in Lisbon.

This small chapel, together with two other buildings located in the same alleyway, now belong to Dr. Eduardo Fernandes. The Chapel opened in 2008, showing works by Portuguese contemporary artists.

The client’s main goals were to make people aware that the space has reopened with a new purpose and attract people to this new art gallery, especially members of the graphic design community. To transform the alleyway into a cultural venue. In that context we were invited to develop a graphic intervention in the alleyway.

One of the things that fascinated us was the Chapel’s original function as a place of worship. On the other hand, after being asked to intervene in this public space we felt compelled to «talk» to people who frequent this area.

The dual presence of divinity, on the one hand, and popular culture on the other, led us to play with idiomatic expressions in the Portuguese language that refer to God. We sought out formulae used by everyone and which by force of repetition, have crystallized in the Portuguese language, but wherein their nature as a conscious evocation of the divine still persists. This overview of popular expressions highlighted the diversity of records, proverbs and idiomatic expressions, that are mechanically repeated by each of us in our day-to-day lives.

Several examples translated into English:

1. God is good and the Devil isn’t so bad
2. God sees what the Devil hides
3. Voice of the people Voice of God
4. God save us from the bad neighbours on our doorstep
5. When God closes the door he opens a window

The texts will be read at different rhythms over the course of the day by passers-by. Direct questioning, using a three-dimensional format and multiple volumes will deliver various “interpretations”. As the text is read little by little, it will be progressively discovered.

We played with different scales and attempt to ensure that the typographic composition reinforces several of the words included within the quotations. Different volumes established various relationships with the surrounding decoration, that serve as a reference for the depths of the typography, composed with Knockout by Hoefler & Frere Jones.

AGI Congress Chicago
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, USA
Alliance Graphique Internationale

 

   Main conference venue: The Art Institute of Chicago
From the establishment of the American Bauhaus to the monumental creation of Millennium Park, Chicago is proud of its profound legacy of design. But this is also a city invigorated and excited about its design future. The 2008 AGI Congress event will showcase and promote global design in a city committed to the prosperous convergence of art, culture, commerce and sustainable living. On behalf of the United States AGI membership, we are most excited to play host to our fellow AGI members in our extraordinary city. We will not only stage an inspiring 2008 Congress, but we’ll also embrace and strengthen AGI’s profile as a world-class design organization.
Chicago offers a magnificent backdrop in the heart of America for AGI members to gather, share insights and spend time together. Known as a global center for architecture and cultural activities, we are a city that prides itself on achieving harmony among our lakefront, our 29 miles of shoreline parks and the city itself. By hosting our Congress in the very center of the city, we will give our guests the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of a world-class destination, while offering all attendees a relaxing and memorable experience.

Chicago, the birthplace of the modern skyscraper, is still a trendsetter in urban architecture and is a must-see for people interested in 20th century urban architecture. But the Windy City offers a lot more than architecture alone: it is a bustling city, home to many great museums and some of the best blues clubs and shopping venues in the world. It is also a city of great neighborhoods, especially the northern part of the city, which lays claim to a lively atmosphere filled with boutiques, nightclubs, restaurants and beautiful lakefront beaches. Over the course of the last decade, our downtown area (better known as the Loop) has also experienced a renaissance of redevelopment, becoming a model for arts and culture among international cities. Within footsteps of our main Congress venue lies the newest crown jewel of our city, Millennium Park. Lauded as one of the most ambitious and beautiful new public spaces in world, Millennium Park is green space that embodies extraordinary architecture, landscaped and protected parkland and magnificent art. The Art Institute of Chicago, our host venue, is located directly across the street from this amazing new landmark. In all, Chicago offers many exciting and stimulating possibilities for our international guests.

   Program, which currently includes:
Blaise Aguera y Arcas, Michael Bierut, Stephen Doyle, Carin Goldberg, Kenya Hara, George Hardie, Maira Kalman, Chip Kidd, Henrik Kubel, Harmen Liemburg, John Massey, Las Mueller, Art Paul, Woody Pirtle, Liza Ramalho, Artur Rebelo, David Ruiz, Tim Samuelson, Threadless Chicago, Rick Valicenti, Massimo Vignelli, Min Wang, Chris Ware, Scott Williams

in, http://agicongress.org/

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