Galeria Municipal do PortoGaleria Municipal do Porto

Kiluanji Kia Henda, with Flávio Cardoso, Lilianne Kiame, Raul Jorge Gourgel
Recursions: a cartography of unfinished grounds
Curated by Kiluanji Kia Henda & Margarida Waco.

15.11.2025 - 22.02.2026

Sábado, November 15, starting at 5pm

Opening: Kiluanji Kia Henda, with Flávio Cardoso, Lilianne Kiame, Raul Jorge Gourgel

Recursions: a cartography of unfinished grounds centres on the dialogue between the work of Kiluanji Kia Henda and three Angolan artists—Flávio Cardoso, Lilianne Kiame and
Raul Jorge Gourgel—, in order to reflect on the promises, failures, and ruins of modernity. The exhibition is structured around the idea of recursion: an organic process of return that
encompasses both past and present, marked by recurrent, unfinished, and constantly shifting movements. With strong ties to territory and landscape, the works trace cycles of memory
and speculation, proposing Angola as a living archive of collective imagination. 
 
Through different languages such as photography, painting, installation, video, and performance Recursions offers a map that analyses the current impact of colonial legacies. Moving beyond fixed historical narratives, the exhibition presents itself as a provisional compass, locating a territory with unstable contours from which new horizons may emerge.
Floor 1

Admission is free.

Sunday, 16 November, at 3 and 4 pm

Guided tours with Margarida Waco and Kiluanji Kia Henda

On the first Sunday of the exhibition, the curators of ‘Recursions: a cartography of unfinished territories’ invite the public to two guided tours. The first will be led by artist Kiluanji Kia Henda in Portuguese. The second one will be led by Margarida Waco, who, alongside Kia Henda, is curating this collective exhibition.
 
Floor 1

3:00 pm: Tour in English, with Margarida Waco
4:00 pm: Tour in Portuguese with Kiluanji Kia Henda
 
Free admission

6 December, 2025

Guided tours of the three exhibitions

On this Saturday, there will be a guided tour of the exhibitions on display at Galeria Municipal do Porto:
 
State of spirit, by Mariana Caló e Francisco Queimadela
Recursions: a cartography of unfinished grounds, by Kiluanji Kia Henda, com Flávio Cardoso, Lilianne Kiame, Raul Jorge Gourgel
Learning to teach, teaching to learn, by Elvira Leite
3:00 pm: Tour in Portuguese
4:00 pm: Tour in English

Admission is free

3 January, 2026

Guided tours of the three exhibitions

On this Saturday, there will be a guided tour of the exhibitions on display at Galeria Municipal do Porto:
 
State of spirit, by Mariana Caló e Francisco Queimadela
Recursions: a cartography of unfinished grounds, by Kiluanji Kia Henda, com Flávio Cardoso, Lilianne Kiame, Raul Jorge Gourgel
Learning to teach, teaching to learn, by Elvira Leite
3:00 pm: Tour in Portuguese
4:00 pm: Tour in English

Admission is free

Saturday, 31 January 2026, at 11 am at FMP

Active Listening with Kalaf Epalanga

Every month, Fonoteca Municipal do Porto organises an Active Listening session. During these sessions, a guest is challenged to select one or more records from the collection for a shared listening experience. This January, the host will be Angolan musician and writer Kalaf Epalanga, in partnership with the Galeria Municipal do Porto as part of the public programme of the ‘Recursions: a cartography of unfinished territories' exhibition.
Venue: Fonoteca Municipal do Porto (R. de Pinto Bessa 122 Armazém 12, 4300-427 Porto)

Free admission

Saturday, 31 January 2026, at 3 pm

Presentation of the Anti-Racist Handbook for Arts and Education. with UNA – União Negra das Artes [Black Union for the Arts]

The Anti-Racist Handbook for the Arts and Education arose in response to the need to challenge thinking and practices in the fields of art and education. In this session, Dori Nigro and Raquel Lima from UNA - União Negra das Artes collective Black will share with the audience their ongoing process of creating this handbook. Above all, it seeks to be a hopeful, anti-racist and critical resource that builds bridges between art and education.
Dori Nigro is a creator, performer, arts educator and researcher who studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Porto and the College of Arts at the University of Coimbra. Since 2007, he has dedicated himself to interdisciplinary artistic practices. He holds a PhD, a Master's degree and a specialisation in contemporary art, artistic practices, and art and education. He also has a degree in pedagogy and a bachelor's degree in social communication and photography. He divides his time between Portugal and Brazil, where he promotes collaborative activities with local artists and communities. Alongside Paulo Pinto, he runs LÁRoyé, a house and studio dedicated to emotional, creative and ancestral sharing. There, they develop research and creations in the fields of artistic practice and art/education. He is also a member of the Black Arts Union (UNA).

Raquel Lima is a poet, art educator, performer, essayist and transdisciplinary artist. She has a degree in Artistic Studies (Performing Arts) and is a PhD researcher in Postcolonial Studies. Her particular interests include oral tradition, intergenerational memory, Afro-diasporic movements, and contemporary practices of escapism, abstraction, and healing. She has presented her academic and artistic work in several countries, notably at the Venice and São Paulo Biennials. Bantumen magazine has elected her as one of the 100 most influential black personalities in the Portuguese-speaking world, and she has co-founded the cultural association União Negra das Artes (UNA).

The União Negra das Artes (Black Arts Union) is a cultural association that emerged from the anti-racist movement and affirmation of Black identity in Portugal. It emphasises the various manifestations and debates surrounding the demand for human rights, decolonisation of knowledge and appreciation of the artistic and cultural legacy of Black people. Founded in April 2021, the association was established in response to the need for a structure that defends the specific interests of black people in the cultural sector. This is due to the historical continuities of colonial racism that maintain deep asymmetries and hinder creation, enjoyment, access, production, programming, and consequently, black representation in the arts sector in Portugal. The association's main objectives are to promote, elevate and strengthen black representation in the Portuguese arts, and to recognise and value the intangible heritage of black people in Portugal. The association aims to contribute to the development of reparative policies and affirmative action measures in the arts and culture in collaboration with artists, social movements, and public and private entities.

Free admission

Photo by Joni Ricos

7 February, 2026

Guided tours of the three exhibitions

On this Saturday, there will be a guided tour of the exhibitions on display at Galeria Municipal do Porto:
 
State of spirit, by Mariana Caló e Francisco Queimadela
Recursions: a cartography of unfinished grounds, by Kiluanji Kia Henda, com Flávio Cardoso, Lilianne Kiame, Raul Jorge Gourgel
Learning to teach, teaching to learn, by Elvira Leite
3:00 pm: Tour in Portuguese
4:00 pm: Tour in English

Admission is free

Saturday, 14 February 2026, at 5 pm

Dj set by Nazar

To mark the final weekend of the ‘Recursions: a cartography of unfinished territories exhibition, Galeria Municipal do Porto will host a DJ set by Nazar.

Born in Angola but raised in Belgium, Nazar returned to his homeland after the civil war ended in 2002. It was at this point he began music production, making his own unique take on Angola’s Kuduro music, which he calls 'Rough Kuduro'. Now based in Manchester, his musical world centers around the extreme violence, injustice and omnipresence of a repressive state during and after the 27-year Angolan civil war, while exploring hope, resilience and pride in a country torn apart by conflict.
Free admission

Photo by Marieke Bosma

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