Ouve

O que havia lá em baixo era para ficar lá em baixo, não era para trazer para a superfície. A vida de mineiro não se transporta para o exterior, é para esquecer quando saímos. Lá em baixo há um calor insuportável, trabalhávamos de calções, um barulho ensurdecedor, pó, uma mistura de escuridão e luzes fortes. As máscaras, destinadas a proteger os pulmões do pó, impediam-nos de respirar e, por isso, raramente as usávamos.

José Pacheco, 62 anos, ex-mineiro do Lousal

For many years, Lousal was an oasis of survival for the people of the Alentejo and the Algarve. Owned by the Belgian Velge family (Mines et Industries), who acquired a 500-year mining concession covering 124 hectares, it reached a daily output of 1,200 tonnes. The village, with its distinctly cosmopolitan character, was a closed world entirely controlled by the mining company: church, hospital, maternity ward, school, mini-market, playing field. People only left Lousal to obtain their identity card or to be buried.

Rarely do we find a place where collective memory remains so deeply inscribed in the landscape as in Lousal, a village shaped by the mining of pyrite, also known as ‘fool’s gold’. The mine defined not only the physical space, but also the emotional bonds, human relationships and the fate of successive generations. A deeply hierarchical social model, based on the exploitation of labour and an economic logic in which the entire life of the community revolved around production and the wealth extracted from the ground.

It is in this space, suspended between ruin, memory and an uncertain future, that A Ilha is born – a performative journey conceived by Marco Martins in collaboration with André Cepeda, Gabriel Ferrandini, Henrique Pavão and João Pimenta Gomes. Created in close collaboration with the residents of Lousal – former SAPEC workers – A Ilha transforms the mine site into a place of remembrance and sharing, a reflection on what remains and what changes: the construction of memory and the transformation of history.

FRIDAY, 17 JULY 2026 | 7 PM | OPEN DRESS REHEARSAL

SATURDAY, 18 JULY 2026 | 7 PM | PREMIERE

LOUSAL MINING MUSEUM, Lousal, Grândola

MEETING POINT | BAIRRO DOS QUARTÉIS (RUA DO POLVARINHO, LOUSAL)

APPROXIMATE DURATION 130 MINUTES | AGES 12+

FREE ADMISSION with limited capacity [reservation required]

reservas.antn@gmail.com | +351 934 104 976 | +351 917 494 249

The performance includes a total route of approximately 1.5 km, of which around 270 metres take place in an underground gallery. Participants with claustrophobia may begin the route above ground. Before entering the underground gallery, all necessary safety instructions will be provided.

Comfortable clothing and footwear are recommended, as well as a light jacket, since the temperature inside the gallery may be lower. Given the high temperatures forecast, participants are advised to bring a bottle of water. The use of insect repellent is also recommended, as mosquitoes may be present.

Accessibility: In the case of reduced mobility, there is unfortunately a small section of the route that will not be accessible. However, staff will be on site to provide assistance and facilitate access to the second part of the performance.

Food and drink: Following the premiere, a light supper will be served at the café next to the museum, where the performers will gather. Participation in the reception can be secured for €7 when reserving a place for the performance. Water, juice, red and white wine, beer, and caldo verde (including a vegan option) will be served, along with croquettes, rissoles, codfish cakes, vegetable quiche, cheeses, cured meats, and bread. You are welcome to bring your own food if you wish. Please note that there are no water refill stations available for reusable bottles.

The Island is part of ANTN’s LA-TITUDES programme, a series of participatory creations that places communities at the centre of the artistic process, fostering encounters between artists and territory and contributing to the creation of new collective memories.