Lisbon International Biennial of Contemporary Jewelry

In April 2024, the 25th of April revolution will be celebrated 50 years ago.

The values of democracy, freedom and equality, which were the driving force behind regime change in Portugal, are once again threatened around the world. We are living in dark times in which political and religious extremism threatens not only democracies, but world peace.

The celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April are a pivotal event in Portuguese life over the next two years, but they can also be a moment of reflection on the global context.

Jewelry has always had a close connection with power. Whether monetary, spiritual or political power, jewelry was and is symbolic representations of these manifestations – from popular gold, which collects savings or dowries in the form of jewelry, to the papal ring and coat of arms rings, decorations, tiaras and royal crowns.

There is also, in contemporary jewelry, a body of work in which authors express positions, reflections and comments of a political nature on the most diverse subjects – questioning the financial system, problematizing racial issues, affirming feminist positions, denouncing massacres or making fun of consumption excessive, everything can be a theme for a piece of jewelry understood as an artistic manifestation.

Art in freedom and the possibility of critical political expression will be two of the central themes for reflection.