Modern and Contemporary Art Museums

Manuel de Brito says that the 50s were a period of Franciscan poverty was linked to politics, first directors of the museums were academics, reactionary, had a Prime Minister who knew nothing of art and reposed confidence in a guy named Eduardo Malta, who was director of what is now the Chiado Museum, was the Museum of Contemporary Art. Anyone enter in the museum that was not academic. Making a living with art only on demand, particularly sculptors, and orders were made by the Government, by António Ferro, was a sensitive and responsible for advertising.

The Modern Art Centre of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation was inaugurated in 1983. It was the time when the work of modern art had almost no acceptance in Portugal.

Joe Berardo concerns regarding museums that artists benchmarking is not always the right one and is subject to the taste of the director of the museum that hold the position at the time.

Julião Sarmento highlights the lack of a contemporary art museum in Portugal, and the fact that this role be filled by private institutions such as the Gulbenkian or Serralves. "There are no museums; Portugal is the only European country that does not have a museum of contemporary art of the state. The Chiado Museum is a museum of the XIX century, is a box the size of a walnut shell."

Fernando Santos says that Serralves is losing power at this time. Had a very important director, João Fernandes. Tired, because things did not work well and there is no money for programming people end up discouraging and tiring.

Hargreaves, Manuela – Colecionismo e Mercado de Arte em Portugal, O Território e o Mapa. Porto: Edições Afrontamento, 2013.