Contemporary Artist
“Workers of Hephaestus”, represents the Cyclopes builders who, in Alexandrian poetry, are considered subordinate geniuses, blacksmiths and artisans of all the weapons of the gods. The arms that come out of the belly stand out in the image.
Empatia + Popis&Vital + Chinese Ink + Bleach
39.5 x 49
2024
“Nomadic movements” highlight the wide variety of colours created by the tannins in this piece, in addition to the sinuous movement of the stains, thus representing constant movement. This reflects the Cyclopes’ nomadic nature, as they were dedicated to herding animals and therefore considered wanderers, acknowledging their irrational mindset, as they did not master agriculture and were regarded as lawless and stateless beings.
Empatia + Popis&Vital+ Chinese Ink + Bleach
71 x 101
2024
‘The Eyes, the First Islands,’ this painting is about the first islands from Greek mythology, called the Fortunate Islands, a place where people enjoyed rest after death.
If we consider this work as the first islands created for the Cyclopes, we see that it refers to the Cyclopes builders whom Apollo killed to avenge Zeus.
In the central image, the author’s distinctive texture stands out, representing nomadic movements, though the lower part appears unfinished, symbolizing the beginning of the island. Another detail is the remnants of what seem like rocks or stones scattered throughout the image, a symbol of an explosion/creation.
Empatia + Popis&Vital+ Chinese ink
21.5 x 30.5
2024
“The Dream of a Maddened Polyphemus” or “Sonho de Polifemo Enlouquecido”, this work is connected to the piece Prophecy of Telemus, as it represents Polyphemus’ madness upon realizing he was defeated by Ulysses. In the upper left corner, Ulysses’ face appears resting, for the first time with his eye closed. Once again, the triumph of reason over irrationality.
Empatia + Popis&Vital + Chinese ink + saffron
50×70.5
2024
On 5 July, the Alenquer City Council signed a new agreement to strengthen international winemaking cooperation, which began with the city of Benkovac in 2017. The protocol now has a first amendment after seven years to include a third location, in addition to the Portuguese and Croatian presences: the partnership is now a three-way partnership with the Bosnian municipality of Ljubuski . The National Institute for Agricultural and Veterinary Research (INIAV), the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Zagreb and the Adega Cooperativa da Labrugeira are the other three founding signatories of the agreement, in addition to the Portuguese and Croatian municipalities. The Polytechnic Institute of Santarém (IPS), the Association of Winegrowers of Alenquer (AVA) and the Federal Agro-Mediterranean Institute Mostar, from Bosnia and Herzegovina, have now joined them, improving the technical and academic component of a winning project.
The municipality of almost 10 thousand inhabitants, located around 300 kilometres from the capital Zagreb, hosted the tripartite meeting between municipalities, which was attended by the Mayor, Pedro Folgado, and the councillor Paulo Franco as the top representatives of Alenquer. The Portuguese Ambassador to Croatia, Paula Leal da Silva, honoured everyone with her presence and was the special guest on the occasion of a visit with several interesting features over three days.
The mayor of Alenquer considered that we are witnessing a project that has already proven to be “very important for Croatia and Portugal”, given the importance of wine as a “quality product in both countries”. “The three-day visit established an addendum to the protocol that has been in force since 2017 and from which we have all reaped the benefits, now bringing together three more partners, strengthening the union that already existed and now also extending it to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The important thing is to ensure that we are able to promote all the respective native grape varieties, understanding how the territory adapts to the terrain. In addition to wine, this agreement brings people together. It is a major matrix of this project. People share knowledge, culture and a wide range of other aspects”, stressed the Portuguese mayor present in Benkovac.
The host, Tomislav Bulic, Mayor of Benkovac, spoke of a “historic day” with the signing of an addendum to the protocol established between the Municipal Councils of Benkovac, Ljubuski and Alenquer. “After seven years of cooperation with the Portuguese, we have decided to expand cooperation to Bosnia and Herzegovina. This involves the exchange of native wine varieties, in addition to the cooperation that has so far been of truly high quality, as we have seen in previous years”, Bulic stated, noting that native varieties are now being exchanged between the three countries. There is general satisfaction among Croatians and Portuguese with the memorandum that has been signed, and with the results in sight. Empatia Vital Branco, born from this same exchange of varieties with Benkovac and created at Adega Cooperativa da Labrugeira, is a wine that has already won more than one award.
Representing the new country involved in the international agreement initially signed in 2017 , Vedran Markotic thanked those who made it possible to bring wines and cultures closer together. “This cooperation was achieved thanks to Professor Edije Maletic, from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Zagreb, and Professor Marko Ivankovic, the director of the Agro-Mediterranean Institute. We already have Portuguese wine varieties planted on several farms and we joined the project because this story seemed very interesting to us. It will undoubtedly benefit us and will be a great exchange of knowledge. The experience so far has yielded good results and we are looking forward to bringing new varieties to Bosnia, while at the same time taking our best varieties to Portugal. We are interested and attentive to see how they will succeed in Europe”, stated the Mayor of Ljubuski.
For Paulo Franco, the agreement that saw this extension had several objectives. Before it was signed, the councilor of the Municipality of Alenquer was one of the speakers at the conference “Challenges in viticulture and winemaking in northern Dalmatia”, the region where Benkovac is located, where he discussed the success of a cooperation that had lasted for over seven years. “One of the objectives was the addendum to the protocol that formalizes the integration of the Portuguese partners that have already been working with us: the ISP and the AVA. The research component is being monitored by them. In addition to this integration, there was the integration of Ljubuski with the same purpose that led us to sign the 2017 agreement with Benkovac: the study, preservation, conservation and valorization of the regions’ native grape varieties”, said the person responsible for planning and coordinating activities carried out within the scope of economic development.
But there was a “very important moment” with the help of Portugal’s ‘house’ in Zagreb. “I would like to highlight the reception we had at the home of the Croatian Ambassador to Portugal, which provided a moment of economic diplomacy, as a group of businesspeople from the hotel, restaurant and distribution sectors gathered there. We took the opportunity to highlight the economic component of the project, which began in its first phase in 2015, with the creation of the ampelographic collection, where we brought together 44 native grape varieties, some of which no longer exist. This session marks the beginning of this phase. We want to open the doors to other markets and we brought the local products we have”, Paulo Franco made clear, pointing to the “future sustainability” of the agreement, which was made clear to all partners: “This project is serving as an example for other Portuguese cities that want to build bridges with Croatia”.
The meeting on Croatian soil took place a few days after the Croatian Ambassador to Portugal, Anita Tršić, visited Alenquer and formally opened the exhibition ‘À Tona: Monstros e Vinhedos’, by Lola Escámez, which is on display at the Wine Museum until 18 July. The artist once again demonstrated her creativity, this time in an on-site demonstration on Croatian soil.
Source: Município de Alenquer
Earlier this year, art and viticulture converged in a remarkable exhibition by contemporary artist Lola Escámez titled “À Tona: Monstros e Vinhedos”. Held at Fórum Romeira in Alenquer, Portugal, the event celebrated the seventh anniversary of the International Cooperation Agreement between Alenquer, Portugal, and Benkovac, Croatia. This partnership was born out of a shared commitment to preserving and reviving rare grape varieties and fostering cross-cultural collaborations.
At the heart of the exhibition was Escámez’s groundbreaking use of wine as a pigment in her artwork. Drawing inspiration from Greek mythology, particularly Homer’s Odyssey, the collection wove a narrative centred around Ulysses’ encounter with the Cyclopes. Each piece resonated with the themes of transformation and the passage of time, as the wine-based pigments evolve subtly on canvas, mimicking the aging process of wine itself.
The works featured a mix of techniques, combining wine pigments derived from rare varietals such as Empatia Superior, Empatia Vital, and Posip & Vital with ink, saffron, and other natural elements. Highlights of the exhibition included “The Fury of Neptune”, depicting Poseidon’s wrath, and “Movimentos Nómadas”, a vibrant representation of the Cyclopes’ nomadic lifestyle. These intricate pieces celebrated not only the artistic process but also the deep historical and geological ties between wine and culture.
This event was not just an artistic showcase but also a cultural celebration, highlighting the shared viticultural heritage of Alenquer and Benkovac. The collaboration exemplified how art can transcend borders, merging tradition and innovation to create something truly extraordinary. While the exhibition concluded in July, its impact continues to ripple through the artistic and viticultural communities, leaving an indelible mark on both fields.
Lola Escámez’s “À Tona: Monstros e Vinhedos” remains a testament to the symbiosis of art, wine, and mythology. By reviving ancient techniques and breathing life into rare materials, she has not only honoured the traditions of Alenquer and Benkovac but also opened a new chapter in contemporary art. The exhibition reminds us of the enduring power of creativity to connect, inspire, and transcend.
Check the catalog here:
