The European Pavilion 2024: Liquid Becomings | Imagining the Future of Europe

From 7 to 9 November The European Pavilion 2024: Liquid Becomings of espaço agora now with an artistic event in east and north Lisbon. Over three days, a multidisciplinary programme on the future of Europe will focus on artistic creation and cultural reflection. Ee important part of the programme are dialogues between artists and local residents in Lisbon.

One of the highlights of the programme is the new literary text by Gonçalo M. Tavares. On 9 November, the award-winning Portuguese writer will present his latest text, Fábulas da Maldade para uma Europa Líquida, accompanied by a visual performance by artist Adriana Proganó, at the Marvila Library with a reading. The text, written at the invitation of Liquid Becomings, offers a critical and poetic take on Europe's challenges, exploring themes such as the fluidity of borders and the political uncertainties of our continent. The reading will be followed by a conversation with the author, Adriana Proganó and actress Tita Maravilha, who will perform the text.

Nigerian philosopher, writer and activist Báyò Akómoláfé and feminist anthropologist Elizabeth Povinelli will then lead an exploratory conversation on contemporary social dilemmas, exploring the various ways of resisting, adapting and reinventing ourselves in the face of global social, environmental and political challenges. The moderator is artist and performer Ritó Natálio.

The day before will Valete, one of the biggest names in Portuguese hip-hop, will present a collaborative project with students from the EB23 Pintor Almada Negreiros School. The concert, which takes place at the school itself, is the culmination of several weeks of workshops led by the musician, in which the students explored their identity and what it means to be European. This project showcases the cultural diversity and perspectives of immigrant and gypsy communities. Through lyrics and rhymes the students, led by Valete, will present a musical performance reflecting their vision of our contemporary Europe, addressing questions of "who belongs?", inclusion and identity.

Over the three days of the event, Quinta Alegre [the former Marquês do Alegrete palace in the parish of Santa Clara] will be transformed into an exhibition space to showcase the artistic experiences resulting from the four journeys of The European Pavillion 2024: Liquid Becomings, which took place on the Danube, Vistula, Rhine and Tagus rivers, to be shared. While the rivers acted as living laboratories for the artists, the festival in Lisbon becomes a lively space for encounters - where artists and curators present the materials they collected during their travels - such as notes, drawings, films and sounds - in an exhibition and share the experience and results in public talks.

Watch here some clips featuring those on board and involved in the Rhine voyage, recorded during a presentation evening in BRUTUS GARDEN in Rotterdam: overview video interviews.

Back to Lisbon. At Clube Oriental, the party erupts with concerts by Batucadeiras das Olaias, a Cape Verdean Batuku collective from Lisbon, by Serbian composer and performer Marija Balubdžić, by Roda de Samba with feminist collective Gira and a presentation of the result of their collaboration with composer Marija Balubdžić, the immersive Silent Disco by Alfredo Martins of Teatro Meia Volta and DJ sets by Lil Bukakke, Ekco Deck, Didi and Nicolle Velcro.

Also worth mentioning are the two audio walks, Terra Nullius, by Paula Diogo. At sunrise and sunset, the Portuguese actress and performer offers a sensory, poetic and reflective experience that combines movement with a collective narrative, exploring our understanding of unexplored territories.

All these moments invite audiences to explore new perspectives and engage in dialogue with artists about what Europe can and should be through art, music, literature and debate. The European Pavilion 2024: Liquid Becomings invites reflection on futures shaped by shared experiences. It emphasises that to cope with complexity, we need to develop ways of being together that celebrate our diversity and promote solidarity.

Want to know more? The programme is online: Liquid Becomings. An English-language programme booklet can be obtained here - -. English version - be downloaded. Background on The European Pavilion can be found here: backgrounds.