Luís Bittencourt, ESAP Lecturer, Presents Celestial Ricenances at the Monastery of Santa Maria de Seiça

On 17 October 2026, at 4:00 pm, musician, composer and lecturer at the Escola Superior Artística do Porto (ESAP) Luís Bittencourt will present Celestial Ricenances, a performative sound and light installation at the Monastery of Santa Maria de Seiça, in Figueira da Foz, Portugal.

The work was developed during an artistic residency as part of the second edition of the Artistic Residencies Programme, organised by the Municipality of Figueira da Foz, which also features projects by Andrea Inocêncio and Andreia C. Faria.

In Celestial Ricenances, Luís Bittencourt explores the relationships between sound, architecture and

memory, drawing on the monastery’s distinctive history. Between 1917 and 1971, the building housed a rice-husking factory. The installation revisits this industrial and agricultural past through a sonic experience incorporating architectural elements, water and rice grains as musical resources.

Through percussion, amplification and the manipulation of different sound sources, the artist creates a live performance in dialogue with the surrounding space, bringing together the building’s spiritual heritage and the traces of its industrial past.

The presentation forms part of a programme exploring the relationship between historical heritage and contemporary artistic practice, inviting audiences to discover new interpretations of the identity and memory of the Monastery of Santa Maria de Seiça.

Photo credits: João Quirino

Further information: https://www.luisbittencourt.com/events/2026/10/17/performative-installation-mosteiro-de-santa-maria-de-seia-figueira-da-foz-portugal