Dissemination

Exhibition “The Rise of Italian Cinema in the Faro Museum Poster Collection” awarded the APOM Prize 2025

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The virtual exhibition “The Rise of Italian Cinema in the Poster Collection of the Faro Museum,” conceived by researchers from the Centre for Research in Arts and Communication (CIAC), has been awarded the APOM Prize 2025 in the category “Digital Projects and Content.”

The APOM Prizes ceremony took place on June 2 in Loulé, as part of the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the Portuguese Association of Museology (APOM). This year’s edition received 125 applications from museums, palaces, interpretation centres, and museum units across the country, with the jury recognizing innovative initiatives in several categories.

The award-winning project is the result of an institutional partnership between the Museu Municipal de Faro and CIAC, and was developed within the framework of the CURATE – Creative Use of Artistic Treasures Revived for Education project, coordinated by Jorge Carrega, Bruno Mendes da Silva, and Marco Lopes. The scientific curatorship of the exhibition was led by Jorge Carrega, with digital development by Alexandre Martins and Rui D’Orey.

The virtual exhibition, permanently available online, presents a selection of 20 Italian cinema posters belonging to the collection of Joaquim António Viegas, dating from 1909 to 1915. Some of these posters were illustrated by artists such as Leopoldo Metlicovitz and A. Vassalo. Eleven of these posters were included in the physical exhibition inaugurated in November 2024 at the Museu Municipal de Faro. The remaining nine, which could not be displayed physically due to space and conservation constraints, were integrated exclusively into the digital version.

Among the project’s innovative features is the use of emerging technologies, including interactive 3D models of the museum’s spaces, videographic content, and the application of Artificial Intelligence to digitally reconstruct incomplete posters. The exhibition offers an innovative and accessible approach to the history of Italian cinema and the world of graphic art, highlighting the heritage and educational value of this rare collection.

This recognition by the Portuguese Association of Museology underscores the importance of research and collaborative work between cultural and scientific institutions, promoting new ways of accessing, preserving, and enhancing cinematic heritage.

The exhibition can be visited online (A Ascensão do Cinema Italiano na Coleção de Cartazes do Museu de Faro).

More information (https://ciac.pt/projetos/curate/).

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