People, people who meet people…
are the luckiest people in the world.

Leiria – Portugal – July 2024
the first Baci Sospesi workshop
the birth of the Baci Sospesi Movement
thanks to a group of amazing artists who volunteered to be part of this group research on love/separation

We talked, we created together and individually, we exhibited our art, we celebrated life, we set the first stone for Baci Sospesi to be a worldwide wave of awarness and artistic research around the concept of encounter and separation.

my gratitude goes to the amazingly cozy Livraria Arquivo (for which I thank the splendid Susana Neves) and the participating artists: Catia Ribeiro (actress and writer) Elsa Arrais (photographer) Maria Vila-Lobos – Maraia (illustrator) Mia Ervilha (illustrator) Patricia Ribeiro Martins (writer, researcher) Silvia Bernardino (photographer, architect) Rita Rosa (actress and writer) Rute Violante (photographer) Sandrine Cordeiro (artist)

The whole”Baci Sospesi in Leiria” event was organized with the precious collaboration of Lorema Tezir of the non-profit association Kultur Nest of Berlin and Paulo Kellerman and Fausta Cardoso Pereira of the non-profit association Hirundo ngo in Lisbon.

The proceeds from the sale of the works created during the workshop, and exhibited for a week at the Arquivo bookshop, were donated to the EAPN (European Anti Poverty Network – Leiria branch) through the presence of Patrícia Grilo.

I infinitely thank the director Pedro Tomás and José Grilo for the immense filming work throughout the work in Leiria. We will see the documentary at the beginning of 2025.

Finally, thanks to the city of Leiria (to its administrators), which has shown interest and support in the project and is a candidate to become the first city outside Italy that will host a permanent Baci Sospesi public installation, in 2025.

The Leiria project was supported by #CultureMovesEurope and the #Goethe-Institut. 

PS in the following pic, the official prototype of the BACI SOSPESI flag handmade by me and on sale at Livraria Arquivo, the proceeds will go completely to charity to EAPN. Inside the flag there is a hidden message sewn inside one of the kisses.