‘Soft Ground’, Comporta, 2026. photography. Bruno Lopes | Courtesy of Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, Mendes Wood DM and Kubikgallery
Nestled amidst rolling sand dunes, luscious rice fields and expansive pine forests, sits Comporta, a collection of hamlets just south of Lisbon, Portugal. While unassuming at first glance, this once sleepy fishing region, still peppered with traditional beach cabanas, begets a burgeoning art scene enjoyed by locals and international visitors alike.
Gathering artists, collectors and curators into a vibrant artistic exchange is Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, Comporta, an annual summer exhibition conceived by renowned gallerist, Maria Ana Pimenta, in partnership with Mendes Wood DM and Kubikgallery. Now in its sixth year, this summer’s exhibition, ‘Soft Ground’, which runs until 5th September, examines the environmental, social and political pressures endangering the region and its way of life.
Most interestingly, the show paints a community in flux. Distinctively bohemian in style, Comporta is a rare find, but with hoteliers such as Sublime, JNcQUOI and Experimental Group, all with projects in development, the region is on the cusp of growing exponentially. As locals contemplate what that expansion brings, the exhibition provides a moment of reflection to consider what the community could and should become.
left. ‘Untitled (Flamboyant Tree)’, Frank Walter. image. ©Photodocumenta | Courtesy of Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel. right. ‘Full Moon’, 2015, Erika Verzutti. image. Courtesy of the artist and Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel
Tied to Herdade da Comporta, a huge agricultural estate established in the early 19th century, the landscape was defined by salt works, fishing communities and rice fields. During the mid-20th century, Portugal’s most powerful banking dynasty, the Espírito Santo, claimed a near monopoly of the estate, as they turned the land into some of Portugal’s largest rice fields. While no longer under the ownership of the Espírito Santo family, the uninterrupted protected beaches, rich fauna and strict building codes remain, forming the backdrop of Comporta’s emerging contemporary art scene.
Having holidayed in the area since she was young, Maria Ana Pimenta, Partner and International Director of Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel (FDAG), recognised the region’s cultural curiosity and deep connection to the local landscape, making it a unique addition to the FDAG portfolio.
left. Maria Ana Pimenta. photography. Carolina Pimenta. right. ‘Untitled IV (Ressurgir series)’, 2026, Laís Amaral. photography. Mateus Rubim | Courtesy of the artist & Mendes Wood DM
As one of the leading Brazilian contemporary art galleries, with a dynamic programme across São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, FDAG has established itself as a custodian of Brazilian art globally. Its annual Comporta activation, in collaboration with Mendes Wood DM and Kubikgallery, reflects a collaborative ethos between like-minded institutions.
Balancing issues that resonate with the community along with the creative impulses of the galleries’ artist portfolio, the Comporta show confronts the mounting pressures on the area. Ongoing catastrophic weather events, which saw the landscape submerged by floods as recently as February this year, create the need for “an urgent dialogue between fragile gestures of care and preservation and the ecological, social and political forces threatening to overwhelm them”. ‘Soft Ground’ acts as an urgent collective response that “extends beyond traditional exhibition models” while incorporating the region’s distinct contemplative atmosphere.
‘Untitled (Water Birds Gathering)’, Frank Walter.
For Pimenta, the show offers “a compelling visual and material experience, while opening a dialogue around issues central to this region and deeply connected to the practices of our artists”. Unfolding across two venues, the Casa da Cultura da Comporta and the Espaço Museológico Museu do Arroz, pieces from the 26 exhibited artists – including Solange Pessoa, Marina Rheingantz, Pedro Vaz, Ernesto Neto, Patrícia Leite and Damián Ortega, to name but a few – explore what comes next and whether there is still time to shape this “moment of transition”. Spanning a wide range of mediums, the pieces which have predominantly been created by Brazilian and Portuguese artists for the show specifically, sit in constant conversation with one another.
Recurring representations of ascending, falling or trapped in mid-transition are reflected across the space at Casa da Cultura da Comporta. Vasco Futscher’s ceramic sculptures – playfully named with titles such as ‘Walnut Rubble Swirl’, which conjure up the image of melting ice cream – toy with the idea of impermanence. Artur Lescher’s suspended cylinder, made from the precious Jacaranda wood, simultaneously evokes a sense of falling and rising, while Solange Pessoa’s exhibited works ask the audience to contemplate whether they are emerging or collapsing.
Left. ‘Untitled’, 2023, Santídio Pereira. photography. Estudio EmObra | Courtesy of the artist, Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel and Galeria Estação. right. ‘Paisagem da janela do ateliê’, 2026, Paula Siebra. Photography. EstudioEmObra | Courtesy of the artist and Mendes Wood DM
Housed in the Espaço Museológico Museu do Arroz, the expanded second space explores how our relationship with natural resources is evolving as we continue to interact with the land. Marcius Galan’s ‘Anti-clockwise’ tracks the movement of a feather shot in the Sahara, as a bass-heavy soundtrack creates a new sensory layer. Building on this theme, Ernesto Neto’s use of saffron-infused crochet evokes a multisensory environment.
As Carolyn Drake Kandiyoti, Partner, Mendes Wood DM, points out, “Climate crisis and real estate speculation are no longer abstract forces here; they are physically reshaping the land and the lives of those who inhabit it.” This feels particularly pertinent as the local community contemplates whether it is ready to be discovered by international visitors.
‘Soft Ground’, Comporta, 2026. photography. Bruno Lopes | Courtesy of Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, Mendes Wood DM and Kubikgallery
At the heart of these discussions is how the community can grow sustainably in a way that retains the local charm. Elevated dining spots such as Sado pay tribute to regional culinary traditions of rice and seafood while reflecting the restaurant’s surroundings. For local collectors, it’s imperative that the area’s idiosyncrasies are shared with visitors to protect the region’s authenticity.
Both Pimenta and Drake Kandiyoti are optimistic that the annual Comporta exhibition can provide an open forum in which local and international communities come together. For this year’s opening party, residents celebrated alongside international guests as renowned Lisbon DJs played late into the night. This summer’s programme also unfolds beyond the gallery walls with an outdoor film club, as Pimenta and Drake Kandiyoti emphasise the importance of more “inclusive moments for the whole community”.
‘Untitled’, 2026, Marcos Siqueira. Photography. EstudioEmObra | Courtesy of the artist and Mendes Wood DM
For Pimenta, it’s about creating a collective where “all parties” win. As the summer activation evolves, she hopes that invited international artists can create installations directly in Comporta for local artists to learn from.
While it’s easy to make comparisons to the Hamptons or Ibiza, Comporta’s close ties to the land and desire for cultural exchange make it a truly unique region. International growth may seem inevitable but through initiatives such as FDAG Comporta and partnerships with like-minded local institutions, the community can flourish into a thriving contemporary art scene while remaining true to its creative origins.
Find out more about FDAG Comporta here.
words. Katie Shuff
edit. Olivia Chichero
photography. courtesy of FDAG Comporta
