2015 | first steps in Luanda
When Janire Bilbao arrived in Luanda, she was fascinated by the artistic capital that the city contained. There was a strong community of young artists pushing a discourse critical of the difficulties of the surrounding social and political reality but also celebratory of its historical and cultural richness in a profusion of artistic media and conceptual formulations, in a broad experimental spirit. At the same time, however, this scene lacked the economic and structural resources to afford to flourish properly. With the will to act against this situation, Janire founded the MOVART project in 2015, as an experimental concept of an itinerant exhibition, by finding public and private spaces, negotiating projects, and seeking funding, to weave an artistic fabric to be able to organise and promote the existing talents in Luanda and dynamize its cultural scene. Thus, in 2017, MOVART Gallery opened in the Marginal of Luanda, becoming the first commercial gallery in the country.
2020: a new chapter in Lisbon
In 2020, MOVART achieved a transcendental leap in scale by opening a second gallery in Lisbon. This location symbolically and functionally signified the construction of a bridge between Africa and Europe that allowed it to consolidate a cultural synergy in constant movement through the Portuguese language and the diaspora, and to propel the careers of the artists with whom MOVART has worked since its beginnings.
At present
While remaining rooted in its commitment to these artists and this mission, the gallery’s active presence in Lisbon has enabled it to establish new relationships and build an even broader and more diverse platform. The gallery now broadens its scope to embrace a diversity of languages, practices, and discourses within contemporary art. This change in direction reflects a commitment to ongoing adaptability and the creation of a flexible framework capable of engaging with diverse artistic proposals and evolving contexts.
Art… and more
Within this same setting, ESTRELA 74 emerges as a new project dedicated to event organization. It is a distinctive and highly versatile space designed to host cultural gatherings, presentations, corporate events, and creative initiatives of many different kinds. We invite artists, brands, companies, and institutions to get in touch with us to explore the full potential of the space and to engage any of our services. More information here.
