We are pleased to share the opening of A brief history of the same, a group exhibition including works by João Penalva at Foundation Lambert, Avignon.
Each year, the Collection Lambert invites a European curator for a four- to six-month residency at the institution. Following this period of research and immersion, the curator’s inquiries, reflections, and commitments culminate in an exhibition. Curated by Bruno Marchand, Deputy Director of the MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, this exhibition marks the outcome of the inaugural edition of this international program, conducted in partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation – Delegation in France.
Over recent decades, few concepts have permeated the field of contemporary art as persistently as those of repetition, variation, and difference. A Brief History of the Same explores the multifaceted variations of this theme through a vast selection of paintings, sculptures, films, drawings, photographs, and graphic works produced from the 1960s to the present day. Rather than merely illustrating a concept, the exhibition lets the artworks themselves guide us through the tensions this question has raised over the decades and the ways in which they have helped revolutionize our understanding of artistic production.
Organized into five chapters, the exhibition brings together works from the Collection Lambert and contemporary Portuguese artists, examining how recent generations have positioned themselves in relation to two of the most persistent values in the art world: originality and exclusivity. This dialogue across distinct contexts and geographies shapes a itinerary that is neither linear nor chronological, but composed of juxtapositions, contrasts, and resonances between diverse practices and positions.
Opening 06 November, A brief history of the same will be on view until 28 February 2027.
