Time for information, culture and education

A city’s historic and iconic establishments are often forgotten due to their everyday use. In the eyes of those who visit them daily, they lose the beauty of their details, the richness that makes them unique. A body passes through them, breathing life into them. Places that reveal themselves in fragments of memory awaken to compose the choreography of life. Through dance, the dancer Beatriz Lourenço walks through them, integrates them and dissolves herself into them, breaking the filter of everyday life and restoring their beauty to the eyes of those who, out of habit, have stopped looking.. This video installation can be visited throughout the festival: on March 14th and 15th, from 10am to 20pm, and on March 16th, from 10am to 17pm.

Guimarães has a significant industrial periphery that often escapes the attention of outsiders. The industrial sector is a fundamental part of the community and the identity of the population, and there are many cases in which several members of a family work in the same factory. Photographer Pedro Borges captures these families and shows us some of their multiple faces: family, work and everyday life. The exhibition can be visited throughout the festival: on March 14th and 15th, from 10am to 20pm, and on March 16th, from 9:30am to 17pm.

The photograph of the police operation in December 2024, in Martim Moniz, Lisbon, that forced dozens of migrants against the wall, reminds us of the power of images in creating perceptions. The photograph was the starting point for an intense public debate that led to the highly attended demonstration “Don’t push us against the wall”. The exhibition “101 illustrators push racism against the wall” is the result of the mobilization process for that same demonstration. Dozens of creators responded to the call of illustrator Nuno Saraiva and created unique posters that, in addition to appealing for collective participation, were an important contribution to the debate. These drawings were made during the week before the demonstration and published one by one on the illustrator’s social media and the Renovar a Mouraria Association. The exhibition can be visited throughout the festival: on March 14th and 15th, from 10am to 20pm, and on March 16th, from 9:30am to 17pm.

How can illustration be a vehicle for combating dominant biased perceptions? Taking the specific case of the exhibition “101 illustrators push racism to the wall”, the programmer of the Guimarães Illustration Biennial, António Gonçalves, and illustrators Cristina Viana and Nuno Saraiva reflect on the power of illustration as a tool for accessing new perspectives.

The session that officially opens the first edition of the Uncover festival.

Gonçalo M. Tavares starts from the representation of Jesus Christ, the most reproduced image in history, to reflect on how, historically, image choices have been loaded with cultural, historical and philosophical implications. Where are the concrete and metaphorical images of religion in the century of infinite images?

Tiago Pereira, creator of the project “Portuguese Music Likes Its Own” (MPAGDP), puts into dialogue, in an unprecedented performance, the Guimarães of a decade ago with the Guimarães of today, emphasizing the power of image and music in the construction of the identity of a territory.

The virtual is increasingly a space. Like all other spaces, virtual space can be an escape, a place we inhabit, a dimension that resembles a home, a city, a place where a community grows. Laura Werup, project manager at Khora, a Copenhagen-based augmented reality studio, and Silvia Rueda, architect and immersive media specialist, reflect on the meaning of ethics, life and perception in the context of the metaverse.

An informal space where you can explore specific topics of interest to you with other enthusiasts and experts, starting with the theme “Image and mental health”. There are more than one interest group taking place at the same time, with different themes, and you can freely navigate between each one.

An informal space where you can explore specific topics of interest to you with other enthusiasts and experts, starting with the theme “AI and artistic creation”. There are more than one interest group happening at the same time, with different themes, and you can freely navigate between each one.

Smartphones are increasingly becoming useful and accessible tools that allow us to tell stories and make films without much effort or resources. In this practical workshop, we will explore the capabilities of this device together and learn how to use our imagination to create videos and digital content. The workshop aims to: think critically using our mobile phones; move from an idea to a film; learn how to use the tools and equipment available on our smartphones to capture video (filming); and make a mini film quickly, intuitively and captivatingly. This workshop lasts 2 hours.

Discover how to create and explore virtual worlds in the Metaverse. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll cover the essential principles of digital construction, from designing spaces to interacting with users. This is an opportunity to experiment with new creative possibilities and understand the impact of these immersive environments. To make the session as meaningful and engaging as possible, we ask that you bring your computer and download the Twinmotion app in advance (free version, starting at 12:00). from this site). You can see here the requirements needed to support the application. This workshop lasts 2 hours.

Nkem Agunwa is an activist and project manager for Africa at WITNESS, an organization that uses video as a tool to defend human rights. In this masterclass, the activist reflects on the role of technology in creating counter-narratives and promoting humanitarian values. Among the topics to be explored are the impact of fake news and visual misinformation and the importance of bringing non-Eurocentric perspectives on the power of images to the global debate.

After the masterclass, Nkem Agunwa invites the audience to continue the discussion in this informal space that encourages the exchange of ideas, reflections and networking among participants. The Foyer is divided into two themes:

• • AI, Creativity & Human Rights: Innovation vs. Manipulation

  • The ethics of generative media

What role does art play in social change? In this interview, American artist Dread Scott discusses how his work challenges nationalism, racism and freedom of expression at a critical moment in the US, with global impact. We address the relationship between art and politics, activism in the digital age and the power of art in challenging historical narratives and reshaping critical thinking.

How can art be a driver of change and protest? Helena Machado explores the intersection between scientific, digital and sociological knowledge, analyzing art as a platform for alert and transformation. Mário Macilau, a photographer, shares his vision on the choice of images and the weight of the messages they carry. Together, they reflect on the role of art in activism and in the reconfiguration of the social gaze. Despertador is an informal meeting with two experts to awaken the senses. It begins with a presentation and opens space for an unmoderated conversation between guests and participants.

In this masterclass, illusionist Luis de Matos takes us on a fascinating exploration of the relationship between image, perception and illusion, revealing how our brain constructs reality and how this construction can be manipulated. His unique vision, rooted in the art of illusion, challenges us to question what we see and understand the mechanisms that shape our perception of the world.

Gisela Mabel is a Portuguese-Angolan pianist, composer, producer and artist based in Lisbon. Her musical universe moves between classical, neoclassical, jazz and contemporary, also incorporating Afro-Brazilian cultural rhythms. Her sound is distinguished by the contrast between delicate melodies and dense harmonies, creating a cinematic and sensorial atmosphere. For Uncover, she presents a show in which images of objects are transformed into musical scores, gaining new life through the piano.

After an intense day of stimulating exchanges, we invite you to relax at UnBar, the initiative where, with a drink in hand, you can exchange impressions and existential doubts with all the people you have added to your contact list.

How do images shape our perception of mental health? This conversation reflects on the responsibility inherent in sharing images on social media and how exploitative or distorted narratives can be avoided. We analyze the role of the media in constructing these representations and how images can reinforce stigmas or, on the contrary, be powerful tools for acceptance, self-esteem and inclusion.

Get to know RTP Lab firsthand, the RTP project that stimulates creativity and innovation, presenting itself as an experimental laboratory for new forms of content production, designed with a multiplatform logic in mind.

A space where you can briefly present your project or the ideas you have in the drawer, and get to know others' ideas. The aim is to promote a spirit of collaboration and the sharing of constructive feedback.

Cultural and creative organizations in Guimarães open their doors, facilitating the exchange of experiences. Choose one of these routes:

• Photo tour and visit to Atelier Pitágoras with architect and Instagrammer Alexandre Coelho Lima

• Visit to the School of Architecture, Art and Design of the University of Minho

• Visit to the Center for Art and Architecture Affairs

• Visit to Neighborhood C with Ana Bragança, from the artistic structure Onda Amarela

The antenna on his head is capable of transforming colors into sounds and made Neil Harbisson the first human to be officially recognized as a cyborg. How can technology expand human senses and transform our perception of the world? In this masterclass, the author shares his vision of augmented reality and the expansion of human capabilities. He explores the intersection between art and technology, the evolution of the senses and how the combination of art and science can open up new forms of expression and experience.

After the masterclass, Neil Harbisson invites the audience to continue the discussion in this informal space that encourages the exchange of ideas, reflections and networking among participants. The Foyer is divided into two themes:

• • Art and technology as an interface for new realities

  • Programmed perception: the influence of technology on the perception of the world

How does photography influence the way we see ourselves and how we are seen? In this interview, the artist reflects on the power of photography in the construction of identity, questioning beauty standards and traditional ideas. We also discuss how social media amplifies or distorts the perception of the “self” and others, and we analyze the portrait as a tool to capture emotions and reveal personality beyond the image.

How do we shape space and how does this influence our perception of ourselves and society? In this Awakening, we reflect on the “cartography of perception” and how the planning of cities, buildings and homes translates into choices that can bring people closer or further apart, integrate or segregate, include or exclude. Awakening is an informal meeting with two experts to awaken the senses. It begins with a presentation and opens the way for an unmoderated conversation between guests and participants.

Designer Manuel Lima invites us on a visual journey through time, exploring how maps, diagrams and trees have shaped the way we organize and share knowledge. In an age of increasing complexity, how can we transform abstract systems into clear and intuitive images? And how will artificial intelligence and new technologies redefine visual communication in the future?

Nuno Gervásio delves into Guimarães’ heritage to distort, reimagine and reinterpret its iconic symbols, creating a new visual narrative. This deconstructed universe accompanies Acid Acid’s immersive performance, fusing history and sound into a contemporary experience that challenges perceptions.

We live in a world where images dictate the way we perceive reality. Seeing has become synonymous with understanding, and technological mediation reinforces this illusion. But what happens when we manipulate images live, in real time? The collective Anonymous VJs bring to the Uncover closing party a visual performance, created in the moment, where body, media and reality dissolve. The music is provided by DJ Zorotraste, which promises to provide us with engaging sounds, from disco to indierock.