Almada, Setubal, Portugal, May 23, 2025 (Lusa) - Two hundred photographs reflecting the views of 30 foreign photographers and photojournalists on Portugal's April revolution will be on display in Almada from 24 May to 24 August, opposite the former Lisnave shipyard - Mutela Business Park.
The exhibition ‘Venham Mais Cinco - O Olhar Estrangeiro sobre a Revolução Portuguesa (1974-1975)’ (Come Five More - The Foreign View of the Portuguese Revolution (1974-1975)), curated by Sérgio Tréfaut and with historical advice from Luísa Tiago de Oliveira, is unprecedented in Portugal, bringing together images by photographers and photojournalists from France, Germany, Brazil, Italy, the Netherlands and the former Czechoslovakia, published in newspapers and magazines around the world.
Sebastião Salgado, who died today in Paris at the age of 81, is one of the photographers represented in the exhibition.
On 24, 25 and 31 May, there will be guided tours by some of the authors of the images, namely Jean-Claude Francolon, Fausto Giaccone, Michel Puech, Jean-Paul Paireault and Alain Mingam.
‘Venham Mais Cinco’ is the title of the song by José Afonso, the first choice of the MFA military (The Armed Forces Movement (MFA), also known as the Movement of the Captains, the military movement responsible for the Revolution of 25 April 1974) to signal the start of the military coup, but later replaced by ‘Grândola, vila morena’, from the musician's previous album (‘Cantigas do Maio’), which ended up being played on Raìdio Renascença in the early hours of 25 April 1974.
The exhibition is divided into four thematic sections: ‘The Celebration of Freedom’, ‘New Forms of Power’, “Independences” and ‘A Divided Country’.
Initially conceived for the twentieth anniversary of the Revolution (1994), it is only now opening its doors, after the fiftieth anniversary of the first free elections, and is organised in honour of Margarida Medeiros, a researcher in the fields of photography and visual studies, who was behind the project and championed it for three decades.
Speaking to the Lusa news agency, Sergio Tréfaut explained that the idea for this exhibition was born in 1993, based on a book published in 1979 with images by foreign photographers and photojournalists.
"It is an extremely emotional exhibition, which makes the hearts of people who lived through that period leap, but even for others who missed or still miss that enthusiasm and impetus for social change, it is enormously powerful," he said.
The exhibition's curator adds that it takes visitors on a journey to a Portugal that was the centre of the world at a particular moment in history.
"It was the only time in history when Portugal had the world's greatest photographers taking pictures every day, and the exhibition brings together the work of these photographers, who photographed Portugal with a curious eye," he said.
Sergio argues that, on this journey provided by the exhibition, it is possible for those who had no contact with the revolution to discover a country ‘full of surprises’.
"There is a difference between me taking a photograph - and I don't know how to take a photograph - and a “monster” [genius] taking a photograph, and we have geniuses here, one after another," said the curator about the photographers featured in the exhibition.
Jean-Claude Francolon, one of the photographers represented in the exhibition, told the Lusa news agency that, in contrast to the present day, that was a time without extremism, and highlighted the importance of a cohesive Europe in understanding current and future problems, particularly with regard to young people.
The French photojournalist from the Gama agency arrived in Portugal in the early hours of the revolution. In the early hours of 25 April, he tried at all costs to enter the country via Spain and, when he arrived in Lisbon, carnations were already the symbol that allowed him to understand who was who, or which side they were on.
Jean-Paul Paireault, another French photojournalist, also told Lusa that Europe and Portugal, with the growth of the far right, are now experiencing the opposite of what happened in 1975.
"Today there is a danger because we are a supposedly united Europe and we are experiencing a deep and dangerous nationalist sentiment, supported not by actions but by elections. It is the votes that lead to this situation that should make us wary. It seems to be the bankruptcy of Europe and that is very serious, we are returning to nationalism, which is very sad for future generations," he said.
With free admission, the exhibition, developed with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the 50th Anniversary of the 25th of April Commemorative Commission, the Almada City Council and the Sociedade Arco Ribeirinho Sul (which provided the space), can be visited from Thursday to Sunday, from 11am to 7pm, until 24 August.
GC/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
