Aldeia Artística (Artistic Village) – Barrenta, Portugal - Atlas Obscura

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Aldeia ArtĂ­stica (Artistic Village)

Barrenta, Portugal

The walls of this small village have been turned into a living street art gallery. 

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Barrenta is a small village in the municipality of Porto de MĂłs with about 40 inhabitants that is an open-air gallery of urban art. Pieces are spread all over the village and range from stickers and graffiti to tiles and crochet art. There is a large mural by the Portuguese artist Costah.

There are more 50 pieces representing more than 15 different countries and dozens of artists spread around the village inside houses, on street signs, walls, and more. These pieces are at the mercy of the elements and end up being ephemeral, turning the village into an open-air work of art in constant change.

The idea came from a Luso-descendant living in Paris, who has family connections to the village of Barrenta. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he contacted several street and urban artists and asked them to send pieces that would be exhibited in the village. Artwork came in from all over the world, some made especially for the exhibition. He places them in the village every time he visits.

The project started in the summer of 2020 and there are already new pieces ready to be exhibited from the summer of 2021 onward. It is a project with no end date, as the works are revisited and replaced two or three times a year, especially in the summer. Thanks to this project it was possible to bring more dynamism, art, and culture to the village, all free of charge.

Know Before You Go

Barrenta is located between Porto de Mós (10kms) and Fátima (15kms). You can drive to the village and park your car in the center and walk around the village to admire all the pieces.

In partnership with KAYAK

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