Ecologies of Care in Porto

In May, the Ecologies of Care program organized by CEAA´s Researcher Inês Moreira has explored the intersections of art, architecture, curatorship, and feminist and decolonial practices through a series of site-specific experiences, discussions, and collective actions. The program began on May 15 at CEAA-ESAP with a welcoming session, followed by presentations of recent Ecologies of Care and Extreme Sites projects, fostering knowledge exchange among visitors and local researchers. In the afternoon, participants joined a walk that led to a critical visit to FBAUP’s colonial legacies, guided by Tiago Assis. This was followed by a keynote lecture from Elke Krasny on Feminist Infrastructural Critique, which emphasized how practices of care can shape and challenge accidented environments. The day concluded with a communal dinner at Mamuila Filó, reinforcing the role of shared meals in nurturing collective learning. On May 16, the program shifted to Matosinhos under the theme Infrastructural Encounters: Staying with the Trouble, inspired by Donna Haraway’s call to remain engaged with complex issues. Participants visited Siza Vieira’s Tea House Boa Nova and the Tidal Pool, followed by a reflective walk along the Atlantic shore toward the Matosinhos refinery. After lunch at GD Aldeia Nova, the group engaged with Refinery Board and played Oil, the curatorial board game, that addresses the politics of dismantlement and decarbonization of Matosinhos Refinery. The day concluded with a visit to Casa da Imagem, led by Inês Azevedo, connecting visual culture with place-based activities.

The final day, May 17, focused on alternative curatorial practices. It began with a discussion by Bikini Books and Parábola Crítica, followed by lunch at Bikini Books. In the afternoon, participants joined the Porto Feminist Tour organized by MAAD. The program concluded with a closing dinner at the Afurada Fishermen Village, grounding the experience in local social and ecological contexts. Together, these events framed care as both a method and an ethic, fostering rich dialogues around space, memory, and transformation.

Created by Elke Krasny (Academy of Fine Arts Vienna) and Urska Jurman (Igor Zabel Association), the network includes artists, curators and researchers from several European countries and is dedicated to observing sites and infrastructures under pressure cared for by artistic and civic collectives.  Porto´s gathering included new members, local guests and other researchers: Elke Krasny, Ines Moreira, Nicola Feiks, Daria Bocharnikova, Gabi Scardi, Sofia Boito, Yona Catrina Schreyer, Camilla Martino, Saskia Def, Denisa Tomkova, Cassandra Cozza, Joana Rafael, Beatriz Duarte, Lais Rabello de Andrade, Flora Paim, Inês Azevedo, Joana Mateus, Tiago Assis, Isabeli Santiago, Alicia Medeiros, Chloe Maddren, Nina Paim, Isabel Duarte, Karina Ramos, Engy Aly e Mayar El Bakry.

This work was co–funded by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., within the project UIDB/04041/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/04041/2020)