Lisbon has stories to tell, and so do its streets and signs too. The city is not only defined by its eclectic architecture and urban planning, the natural assets such as the river and the seven hills.
Part of Lisbon's identity is also defined by its signs and lettering all over the city. As our hotel too, the neon on top of the hotel recognized by locals as a urban mark. The neon letters are part of an heritage that is slowly disappearing.
In order to prevail this visual memory and city identity, MUDE - Museum of Design and Fashion, in a partnership with the project Letreiro Galeria, launched now an exhibition entitled "Graphic City - Readings and advertising" in Lisbon's downtown, at Convento da Trindade.
The exhibition invites the visitor to go thorough a journey around the city, where advertising limelight guided locals and was enough to guarantee places' identities. A journey along the cities urban design and change.
The exhibition comprises a set of 80 different pieces, displayed in the two floors of Convento da Trindade: In the first floor there are the steel and glass signs, photos, recreation of lettering on the walls too. On the second floor, the visitor is surprised by the diverse and colourful neon limelight
Places and identities known by locals, such as the shoe shop Rosa d’Ouro, Rei das Fardas, Machado Oculista, Lisbonense.som, Docapesca or shoe shop Elite. The exhibition in collaboration with Gulbenkian Foundation, recorded also the designs and authorship of each lettering, so that when the exhibition is over, the memory will prevail.
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