One of the best private art collections in Portugal

All collections are unique, the fruit of a long history made up of countless moments in space and time, of encounters, mismatches, desires and sensitivities, sometimes instances of hesitation – but, above all, opportunities and openness.

In the case of a private collection, the verb ‘to collect’ takes on a whole new meaning.

It is the result of individual choice and reflects an intense level of dedication and commitment, of decisions that mix the subjective emotions of desire and impulse with the objective rationality of commitment and prioritisation.

The collection built up by Armando Martins, which enabled the creation of MACAM, is a case in point. It had a humble start in 1974, with the acquisition of the first original work of art. Today it has established itself as one of the best private art collections in Portugal, with international recognition.

It ranges from the late 19th century to the present day and comprises more than 600 works of art and a great diversity of artistic languages and mediums, such as sculpture, painting, drawing, photography, video and installation.

The first section: Portuguese art until the end of the 1980s

The collection includes an earlier nucleus of Portuguese art, made up of the works initially acquired by the collector.

This group begins at the end of the 19th century with works of naturalism. It continues through the avant-garde of the early 20th century, with the various generations of Modernism, and extends until the end of the 1980s.

It brings together several masterpieces and the main artists of these periods, namely José Malhoa, Almada Negreiros, Amadeu de Souza-Cardoso, Eduardo Viana, Guilherme Santa-Rita, António Dacosta, Vieira da Silva, José de Guimarães, Costa Pinheiro, Júlio Pomar, Lourdes Castro, Nikias Skapinakis, René Bértholo, Joaquim Rodrigo, Ângelo de Sousa, Eduardo Nery, Nadir Afonso, Júlião Sarmento, Paula Rego, Helena Almeida, Pedro Cabrita Reis, and many more.

The second section: Portuguese and international art from 1980 to the present day

As well as works by renowned Portuguese artists, the collection includes pieces by renowned international artists, such as Daniel Buren, Marina Abramović, Thomas Struth, Elmgreen & Dragset, Thomas Ruff, Olafur Eliasson, Albert Oehlen, John Baldessari, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Ernesto Neto, Liam Gillick, Isa Genzken, Dan Graham and Vik Muniz.

In all, more than 280 artists are represented in the collection, as well as various authorial ensembles and thematic groupings.

The collection is constantly being updated.