Alentejo beach litter transformed into art

Discarded fishing nets, buoys, driftwood and other rubbish washed up along the Alentejo coast have been given a second life in a new outdoor exhibition that aims to change the way people think about waste and the environment.

Waste 2 Arte, by photographer and environmental artist Nuno Antunes, has opened at the Casas da Ilha Cultural and Regenerative Park, near Praia da Ilha do Pessegueiro in Porto Covo, where it will remain on display until September 19.

The exhibition features 18 fine art photographs of materials the artist collected over several years while cleaning beaches along the Costa Vicentina, accompanied beneath each photograph by the objects themselves.

Antunes describes the project as an exploration of the “artistic potential of waste found on the beaches of the Costa Vicentina”, transforming everyday objects abandoned by the sea into works that encourage visitors to reflect on pollution and environmental responsibility.

The artist has spent recent years taking part in plogging – the activity of collecting litter while exercising – which inspired much of the work now on display.

Part of the Festival Músicas do Mundo

The exhibition forms part of the programme for the Festival Músicas do Mundo (FMM), with free guided visits taking place on July 18 and 19 at 4pm.

No booking is required.

After the festival, the exhibition will remain open daily from 4pm until sunset through September 19.

A new cultural space

Waste 2 Arte is also the inaugural exhibition of the new Casas da Ilha Cultural and Regenerative Park, a 30-hectare project in the village of Fonte de Mouro, near Porto Covo.

Set within the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, the initiative aims to combine art, biodiversity and community projects to promote environmental regeneration.

Future plans include outdoor installations, workshops, children’s activities, environmental education programmes and cultural events celebrating the natural and cultural heritage of the Costa Vicentina.

Michael Bruxo

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.