Art that Surprises - Terras da Comporta
Art that Surprises
Stardust Pavilion | Silvestre Pestana - Neurónios (2017)
In May 2023, Vanguard Properties installed its first artwork at the site of the Dunas Terras da Comporta project. The piece, which is titled Untitled, was sculpted by José Pedro Croft, one of Portugal's most important contemporary artists. The imposing work was initially created for the 2021 Frieze Sculpture, one of Europe's most important sculpture events. Later acquired by Vanguard Properties, it was set up in the pine forest, next to one of the access roads to the development, where it surprises passers-by. This venture was the first step towards fulfilling the property developer’s aim to make its Comporta projects into important centres of artistic expression. The objective is to create veritable open-air galleries that will make a positive contribution to both new projects and the region itself.
José Pedro Croft - Untitled (2021)
Located next to the golf academy and driving range, the new piece is called Happiness Molecule, a surprising sculptural piece in lacquered steel that stands over five metres tall. The artwork is actually the result of a challenge issued by Vanguard Properties to the artist to create something that embodied the spirit of golf, while enriching the experience of the many golfers who choose this remarkable course. Although relatively new, the course has already picked up several awards, highlighting it as one of the best designed in Europe.
João Louro - Serotonina (2023)
Louro chose serotonin, otherwise known as the happiness molecule, as a symbol that expresses golfers’ enjoyment of a sport that offers a perfect balance between competitiveness and an appreciation of nature.
As the artist himself explains, this work peers into the infinitely small. It’s a work that seeks what is unseen and only perceived. Louro made this piece to share his attraction to what lies beyond what is seen.
‘The happiness that we feel and that arises due to the effect of serotonin can occur when appreciating a landscape, or pursuing a passion, reading a book or viewing a work of art. It could be a garden or a golf course. Happiness isn’t seen, but it’s felt. And this work celebrates the unseen and what fills us with happiness.’
Stardust Pavilion | Silvestre Pestana - Neurónios (2017)
In addition to these two works, two pavilions that have recently been installed at Dunas Terras da Comporta could be considered works of art in their own right. The Stardust Pavilion, which was created by Flare Studio, took its inspiration from follies. These constructions were very fashionable between the 17th and 19th centuries and were built with no real function other than their own extravagance and artistic value.
The Stardust Pavilion recently returned from Miami, where it had been exhibited in the Design District during Art Basel Miami Beach 23, to be installed on a hilltop site surrounded by pine trees near the future Dunas reception. Built from glass, mirrors and chrome-plated steel profiles, the pavilion creates a magical perception that consists of reflections and levels that blur and multiply into a stunning experience. To accentuate this, three artworks by Silvestre Pestana have been placed inside (Neurónios series - 2017), taking the concept of Stardust to a totally unreal level.
The second pavilion, which is an adaptation of Clanet & Brito’s Gravity in Suspension project - winner of the Sommer Pavilion International Ideas Competition organised by Cascais city council -, is also located near the Dunas Golf Course, where it houses an exact reproduction of Little Boy, the first atomic bomb. This surprising piece was designed by João Louro and invites reflection on the topic of destruction, the destructive vehicle itself, and the symbolic relationship established with culture and its icons.
Sommer Pavilion | João Louro - Little Boy (2018)
All these works and installations were conducted by Artworks, an organisation dedicated to creative expression and collaborative work that produces and manufactures works and projects for creative bodies from various artistic fields. Artworks is part of Otiima, which is a subsidiary of the Vanguard Signature Group.