Worship of Santa Bárbara found “home” in a gallery of the Loulé rock salt mine

Exhibition can be visited by everyone

Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação

There, 230 meters underground, in a gallery that was born from salt mining, there are statues, paintings, manuscripts, handicrafts and much more. All these elements refer to Santa Bárbara, patron saint of miners (and not only), and make up the exhibition that has been on display in the Loulé rock salt mines since the beginning of the month and which can be visited by everyone.

A collection of sacred art linked to Santa Bárbara, «which for several decades was patiently collected by the engineer Fernando Mello Mendes», was inaugurated on the 30th of September, in this mine located below the city of Loulé.

The occasion was witnessed by almost two hundred people, who descended to the depths of the earth to meet the rich and impressive collection of the collector, who was «a professor [at Instituto Superior Técnico] and a colleague of many of those present here , and in which I include myself», according to Carlos Caxaria, executive director of Techsalt, the company that explores the Loulétana gem salt mine, at the opening of the exhibition.

«If, until now, the exploration of rock salt was almost the only economic activity in this space, 2022 intends to be the beginning of a new paradigm, where, in addition to the exploration of rock salt and the creation of industrial archeology spaces, we intend to evolve increasingly in cultural and artistic activities, whether in the form of exhibitions, such as this one, or in the experience of a different order that can be adjusted to the space and time of our activity», explained the same official.

This exhibition fits that desire, revealed Carlos Caxaria to the Sul Informação, shortly afterwards, in a conversation that had the excavated walls of the mine as a backdrop.

 

Carlos Caxaria – Photo: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação

 

“The idea came when I went to my teacher's funeral almost three years ago. I knew he had a great collection dedicated to Santa Bárbara and I remembered to challenge his family to put it here at the mine, on display”, he said.

“Naturally, and since there was a lot of investment there, it was not very easy for the family to give away this estate for free”, he added.

The first idea was to «make an application, where we included this unique heritage, for exhibition. Unfortunately, this proposal was not approved.

Nonetheless, "a posteriori, The Doctor. Rui Batista was willing to make a personal financial effort and to provide the collection. Now the estate is his. The family kept some pieces for souvenirs».

It was the «personal effort» made by Fernanda Leite and Rui Batista that made it possible for «we can have this unique collection in the mine on a permanent basis».

«It was soon decided that it was to be on permanent display. Of course, if one day, for some reason, the mine is sold or something, the pieces are his”, explained Carlos Caxaria.

As long as the partnership continues, half of the collection will be on display at the bottom of the mine. “The other half is part of a traveling exhibition. For example, on Saint Barbara's Day you will be in the Vendas Novas Artillery Gun. Then it will go to other places, such as mines and churches».

 

Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação

 

The recently opened exhibition «will have a different circuit», but can be «visited by anyone. You just have to schedule a visit to these places».

Prices «are variable» and «there is a positive differentiation for residents in the municipality of Loulé, who pay 15 euros».

Non-resident adults pay 25 euros, seniors, with a 20% discount, pay 20 euros and children 15. There are also special prices for schools.

«People enjoy a tour with a guide, which lasts an hour and a half to two hours, from entering until leaving», says Carlos Caxaria.

The availability of another exhibition – there is already another patent, for painting, also dedicated to Santa Bárbara, in another gallery at the mine, by the German artist Klaus Zylla -, is just one more step in the attempt to diversify the mine's activities, opening the door to cultural tourism.

«At the beginning of next year, possibly in January, I hope to have here for a few long months the exhibition on the Oceans that was already on display in Lisbon, was in Cape Verde and is currently coming from Brazil at NRP Sagres», he anticipated.

«We also want to have a painting gallery here, open to Portuguese and foreign artists, of over 70 meters, just to show paintings with a commercial objective, for sale», advanced the executive director of Techsalt.

In the future, the idea is «that everyone who visits the mine will visit the gallery».

 

Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação

 

The installation of the sacred art exhibition dedicated to Santa Bárbara was supported by Pedro Teotónio Pereira, curator of the Museum of Santo António in Lisbon, and his team, who made «the exhibition project».

The brothers Luís and Pedro Braga were other fundamental elements, since «they were the artisans of the exhibition assembly, over more than two months, whether in the furniture that had to be assembled, the finishes and the lighting solutions», according to Carlos Caxaria.

The opening of the exhibition featured a musical moment provided by the choir group of the Mineiros de Aljustrel.

The occasion also served to inaugurate two works that the painter Luís Vieira-Baptista offered to the rock salt mine, which aim to be representations of the universe and include photographs captured by the Hubble telescope, at the service of NASA.

 

Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação

 

 

 

 

 



Comments

Ads