OPEN CALL | Em Obras – Experimental Lab
17 Setembro 2026 00h00
OPEN CALL | Em Obras – Experimental Lab
In its sixth edition, the Experimental Laboratory EM OBRAS is an educational program in the field of visual arts aimed at early-career students, artists, and other cultural agents, taking place at Zaratan between September 21st and October 2nd, 2026.
The aim is to encourage the activity of emerging professionals by equipping them with working tools for production in the fields of visual arts and new media, and to create an opportunity for participants to test their research and artistic practices in a community environment.Zaratan - Arte Contemporânea positions itself within the tradition of artist-run spaces. Historically, artists have specialized in identifying cultural needs and providing for them through the creation of independent structures. Detached from traditional teaching methods, the laboratory offers an alternative experience that privileges practice, improvisation, debate, and growth.
The course is structured over 15 days of collective work with a maximum of 10 participants and 7 instructors: António Olaio, Daniel Antunes Pinheiro, Gemma Noris, João Fonte Santa, José Chaves, Nuno Direitinho, and Pedro Gramaxo. The first 10 days of the laboratory propose moments of reflection, sharing, and debate. Together with the instructors, participants will develop practical activities with the objective of deepening their knowledge in the visual arts and facilitating dialogue between those involved and the surrounding environment.
During the last week of the laboratory, Zaratan's gallery space will be open to the public and will transform into a stage for the participants, who will be able to fill the physical space with transversal thoughts and productions: individual and collective, material and ephemeral.
DATES AND SCHEDULES:
September 21 – 26 (14:30 - 20:00): Training
September 28 – October 2 (14:30 - 20:00): Training
October 6 – 8 (10:30 - 16:30): Assembly and organization of the public presentation
October 10 – 18 (Wed-Sun, 16:00 - 20:00): Exhibition of the developed work
September 21 – 26 (14:30 - 20:00): Training
September 28 – October 2 (14:30 - 20:00): Training
October 6 – 8 (10:30 - 16:30): Assembly and organization of the public presentation
October 10 – 18 (Wed-Sun, 16:00 - 20:00): Exhibition of the developed work
ELIGIBILITY:
Students (from higher education onwards), artists, and other emerging cultural agents, both national and international. Participation does not require any specific equipment or technical knowledge.
Students (from higher education onwards), artists, and other emerging cultural agents, both national and international. Participation does not require any specific equipment or technical knowledge.
APPLICATIONS:
Applications should be sent via email to info@zaratan.pt by September 17, 2026 (00:00). We request:
- Motivation letter (maximum 500 words);
- Portfolio/Website or any other document/media that exemplifies the applicant's practice (maximum 24 MB - PDF file).
Applications should be sent via email to info@zaratan.pt by September 17, 2026 (00:00). We request:
- Motivation letter (maximum 500 words);
- Portfolio/Website or any other document/media that exemplifies the applicant's practice (maximum 24 MB - PDF file).
PARTICIPANTS:
Maximum 10
Maximum 10
COSTS:
80€ (30€ / Zaratan annual membership fee + 50€ / tuition fee). Participation is free for 2 unemployed applicants. The costs refer to the effective participation of the candidates. There is no fee charged for submitting the application.
80€ (30€ / Zaratan annual membership fee + 50€ / tuition fee). Participation is free for 2 unemployed applicants. The costs refer to the effective participation of the candidates. There is no fee charged for submitting the application.
SUPPORT:
Lisbon City Council, República Portuguesa – Cultura, Juventude e Desporto / Direção-Geral das Artes
__________________________________________________________________
Lisbon City Council, República Portuguesa – Cultura, Juventude e Desporto / Direção-Geral das Artes
__________________________________________________________________
TEACHERS' BIOGRAPHIES:
ANTÓNIO OLAIO (1963, Angola) Graduated from the School of Fine Arts in Porto. Lives in Coimbra. His performances in the early 80s led him to music (Repórter Estrábico 1986-1991, António Olaio & João Taborda, 1996-2024, and since 2024, The Middle People, with Mikey Georgeson, as well as other duo projects with Manuel Guimarães or Vitor Torpedo). With musician and actor Richard Strange, he created performance and theater projects presented in Portugal and the UK. Exhibitions and performances in Portugal, Spain, Germany, USA, France, Netherlands, UK, and Mexico. Director of the College of Arts at the University of Coimbra between 2013 and 2023, where he is a professor. Also a professor in the architecture course at the University of Coimbra. Researcher at CEIS20, Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Coimbra.
DANIEL ANTUNES PINHEIRO (Mozambique, 1980) divides his activity between Fine Arts, Photography, Sound, and university teaching. He holds a degree in Fine Arts – Painting and a Master's in Multimedia Art – Photography from FBAUL, and a PhD (Photography) from the same institution. He has a Postgraduate degree in Musical Arts – Studies in Music and Technology from FCSH. Since 2012, he has been a Guest Assistant in the Multimedia Art department at FBAUL, teaching Photography and Sound Art. Since 2018, he has co-organized the exhibition program of the Ascensor space based at Associação Goela. He has participated in several solo and group exhibitions since 2005. Lives and works between Lisbon and Montemor-o-Novo.
GEMMA NORIS (1986, Brescia) is the founder and artistic director of Zaratan. She graduated in Painting from the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan (2010) and obtained a Master's degree in Multimedia Art at FBAUL (2014). Her work opposes the connection between art and permanence, moving towards collaborative intervention practices. She is interested in self-managed practices of artistic creation and production. Since 2012, she has collaborated with several independent and artist-run projects in Europe.
JOÃO FONTE SANTA studied Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Classical University of Lisbon. He began by dedicating himself to the production of underground comics in the context of the emergence of fanzines. Slowly, however, his work would affirm itself in the field of painting. Working from an extensive background of images and pop culture references, he built a body of work that is as visually attractive as it is pertinent in the way it presents a particularly critical worldview. He has exhibited regularly since the mid-90s.
JOSÉ CHAVES (1982, Lisbon) lives and works in Lisbon. He graduated in Advertising and Marketing at the Superior School of Social Communication of Lisbon and obtained a Master's degree in Multimedia Art at FBAUL. In 2014, he founded Zaratan with an artists' collective, and since then he coordinates the association's activities. His work incorporates various artistic languages, such as music composition, cinema, documentary, and video art. This intersection allows him to create his own body of work, which explores audiovisual images and their post-multi-effects. He has participated in festivals, residencies, and exhibitions worldwide.
NUNO DIREITINHO (1981, Lisbon) lives and works in Lisbon. He completed a Master's in Fine Art Media at the Slade School of Art, UCL London (2014), and a Bachelor's in Fine Art Photography at the Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow (2011). Recent exhibitions include: 'Future Nothing' - Zaratan Arte Contemporânea (2020, Lisbon); 'I’m in the bath where are you?' - The Icing Room (2019, London); 'All Things Considered' - Shed (2018, Frauenfeld); 'We are All Lichens Now' - Zaratan Arte Contemporânea (2016, Lisbon); 'Cornerstone' - APT Gallery (2015, London); 'Get in Lane' - Catalyst Arts (2015, Belfast) and 'Open Cube' - White Cube (2013, London).
PEDRO GRAMAXO (1989, Lisbon) is an artist focused on constructive art, installation, and photography. With a Master's in Architecture and Arts from Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa (2012), his practice crosses these two disciplines to explore our relationship with space, time, and perception. His work approaches scale as a visual exercise, creating monumental installations in both natural and artistic environments (such as the "Landscape Series" and "Dimension Series"). Since 2012, he has presented his work in exhibitions and public art interventions internationally, passing through countries like Portugal, Italy, Russia, Argentina, Iceland, and Brazil.