Testimonials
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Miguel Moreira
Actor and director
"I’m intuitive in my choices. There are artists I wouldn’t know if it weren’t for CPS."
How long have you been a Member?
I’m not sure. My father was a member. Maybe that drew me to it.
What made you join?
Being able to collect works by artists I admire, whether I knew their work or not. I’m intuitive in my choices. There are artists I wouldn’t know if it weren’t for CPS. Many times I browse the CPS website from A to Z, and my attention is not always drawn to the same artists. I try not to limit myself. Other times I try to see the exhibited works. Once again, being intuitive.
In your collection, which works would you highlight?
Without highlighting any in particular, Pedro Calapez’s work is remarkable. I participated as an actor in the play “Disputa”, directed by João Perry with incredible scenography by Pedro Calapez, in 1995, at Teatro da Trindade. Shades of blue, real trees, a large slope, a stream running across the entire stage. It left a mark on me. I wanted one of his works, and from that moment on I followed Pedro Calapez’s work. Ana Pérez-Quiroga’s work was a long-standing desire; I was very curious about her work. I would love to own a piece by Orlan. Orlan and Magda Delgado’s works remain on my wish list. Works by Manuel João Vieira, Marta Wengorovius, Manuel D’Olivares, Ramon Sanmiquel, and a book by Noronha da Costa.
What place does CPS hold within your closest circle?
I think the family aspect has a strong influence. My father drew my attention to his collection. Some works were displayed at my parents’ house. But because I have always been influenced by the work of various visual artists in my artistic career, I began to build a collection with Útero, with no apparent logic but with the idea of “taking part” in the lives of some artists. If I was influenced by certain artists, I felt obliged—Útero and I—to acquire works and humbly help them continue with their “ghosts.” Because their work is also inspiring in the performing arts, Útero and I are collectors and admirers of the works of Luís Guerra and João Samões. CPS feels like a more secret, more personal side, influenced by my father, Jorge Moreira, who was an architect.
Guida Vila Nova
Lawyer
"The CPS team has always maintained standards of excellence in the execution of its editions."
How long have you been a CPS Member? What made you join?
Our passion for the visual arts and the conditions offered to members. From the beginning, it seemed like a very interesting project: the promotion of original graphic work by contemporary artists, together with the possibility for members to access the editions under more financially advantageous conditions. And the CPS team has always maintained excellent standards in the execution of its serigraphy, engraving, lithography, photography, and digital art editions. After all these years, we still see CPS as a privileged showcase of Art, helping us discover what is being created in Portugal and also in other countries. “Fortunately, there is Art,” reminds us the much-missed Eduardo Lourenço. Fortunately, there is CPS; it brings Art into our daily lives. Allowing Art to have a place within a family budget, at the beginning of life and with tighter finances, is praiseworthy.
In your collection, which are your favourite works, which would you highlight?
A lithograph by Júlio Pomar (Frida Kahlo’s head), a screenprint on canvas by Francisco Simões, and two engravings by Picasso from the Suite Vollard series. In our office, with around 500 m², the walls display many CPS editions.
What place does CPS hold within your closest circle?
We like to reserve a space of intimacy with the proposed works, and our choices do not involve concessions to others’ tastes nor democratic majorities. For a long time, we’ve chosen to offer artworks to family, friends, and colleagues to mark special occasions: birthdays, weddings, and the arrival of the stork.
Nicolau Santos
Chairman of the Board of Directors of RTP
"CPS is today an excellent platform for discovering contemporary or historical artists."
How long have you been a CPS Member? What made you join?
I have been a member for about a year, and what keeps me as one is related to several factors. The first is that I like art very much; the second is that, in this area, CPS is today an excellent platform for finding works by contemporary or historical artists, many of which were not available, not even as serigraphs; the third is that the system of paying a monthly fee, smoothly, means that when you want to buy a work, there is already an accumulated amount that reduces the price you need to pay; and lastly, that members get more favourable prices than non-members, and during the Book Fair the discounts are even greater.
In your collection, which are your favourite works, which would you highlight?
Gil Teixeira Lopes, João Francisco Vilhena, Pedro Cabrita Reis.
What place does CPS hold within your closest circle?
I bought works to offer to friends: one by Miguel Januário and another by Álvaro Siza; and for my son, a piece by Manuel d’Olivares.
António Macedo
Gallerist
"In the Casa da Galeria tourism project, in Ponta Delgada, many public areas and also the apartments were enriched with a curatorship of CPS multiples."
How long have you been a CPS Member?
I have been a member since 1992. From the moment I learned about CPS’s intense activity in promoting contemporary artists, I registered as a Member and, whenever I travel to Lisbon for work or leisure, I visit to see the new works published and to acquire those I find most interesting and significant for my collection.
What made you join?
My first choice, considering my financial availability, was to build a collection of multiples by Portuguese artists and also some foreign ones.
In your collection, which are your favourite works, which would you highlight?
During this long period as a Member, and using the loyalty options offered by CPS — regular publication of catalogues and the possibility of converting membership fees into available credit for new acquisitions — I have been able to acquire works by Cristina Ataíde, Pedro Calapez, Pedro Cabrita Reis, Sofia Areal and Jorge Martins, among others.
What place does CPS occupy within your closest circle?
In our circle of friends in Ponta Delgada, I find several people who are also CPS Members, although there is still considerable room for growth in this group. Whenever an opportunity arises, I offer works published by CPS.
In the Casa da Galeria tourism project in Ponta Delgada, many public areas and also the apartments were enriched with a curatorship of CPS multiples.
Augusto Fraga
Director and screenwriter, author of the series *Rabo de Peixe*
"CPS is... A place to escape to impossible universes."
How long have you been a CPS Member?
I have been a CPS member for more than five years, since the day I entered the CCB shop and was attracted by a particular work. From that moment on, I became a frequent visitor to that shop, where I allow myself to be guided by the works I discover.
What made you join?
I feel that CPS brings artists closer to the public, making their art more accessible, and brings the public closer to the artists, making them more understandable and close. Original artistic creations accessible to everyone seem incredibly positive both for the artists and for those who discover them.
In your collection, which are your favourite works, which would you highlight?
I really enjoy discovering new artists, and so I try to choose works before knowing who the author is, which sometimes brings pleasant and unexpected surprises. But there are artists who have particularly attracted me over the years, whether for their composition, colour combinations, or internal movement of the work… artists ranging from Leonel Moura to Miguel Januário or Cristina Ataíde.
What place does CPS occupy within your closest circle?
The relationship with art is very personal, and I keep my visits to the CPS shop (I prefer to see the works physically in the shop, although I already know them from the website) as something personal, private, and solitary. I like it that way — observing without filters or commitments.
Tomás Tojo
Gardener │ Director of the Jardins Abertos Festival
"I have a particular preference for abstract expressions referencing botany and the plant world."
How long have you been a CPS Member?
I have been a member since early 2021, and it has been a very enriching experience. I am fortunate to have a close friend on the CPS team, and I learn a lot about different techniques and expressions and get to know several new artists.
What made you join?
My parents were members for many years. I grew up in a house with a good collection of serigraphs. For eight years, I studied the arts with a particular focus on performing arts and art direction. As a lover of visual arts, CPS offers a place and platform for collectors with my profile, promoting an organic logic in building a private collection.
In your collection, which are your favourite works, which would you highlight?
I have a special preference for abstract expressions referring to botany and the plant world, themes that connect to my work as a gardener and garden thinker. My favourite works are by Jorge Varas and Francisco Vidal.
What place does CPS occupy within your family?
Many winters with family were spent by a fireplace surrounded by CPS serigraphs. For me, the most impactful is the one by Francisco Simões. It depicts a nude woman in a fetal position, and jokingly, I often said to friends that it represented my mother, which generated many laughs.
But not all expressions and interpretations make us laugh, which is why it is so important that the arts are celebrated as testimonies of cultures and their challenges.
My siblings are also CPS members, and it has been interesting to observe and share our tastes and see how they translate into the pieces on our walls.
Sara Miranda
Communications Consultant
"I found a way to be part of a community that believes art is necessary and gives meaning to life."
How long have you been a CPS Member?
I have been a CPS member, uninterruptedly, for over 20 years. It is a long relationship whose intensity has varied over time, but the truth is that even when I had accumulated more than 100 available membership credits, it never occurred to me to cancel. I deeply respect the work and technical knowledge of the CPS team and like to feel that, although I am not an artist, I found a way to be part of a community that believes art is necessary and gives meaning to life.
What made you join?
For as long as I can remember, I have always loved painting and graphic arts. I am not minimalist at all, and white walls usually sadden me. Becoming a CPS member, at a time when I couldn’t afford to build a collection of originals, was the way I found to surround myself with beauty. Later, I discovered, with great interest, the interdependent relationship between the artist and the team responsible for producing the multiples — and how the quality and perfection of the final work can be influenced by that chemistry and mutual respect.
In your collection, which are your favourite works, which would you highlight?
Any work by Marçal, whose poetic universe enchants me, and lately I have been in love with the delicacy and mystery of the “Suspended Dawn” by Margarida Lourenço.
What place does CPS occupy within your family?
I began my relationship with CPS while still living alone, before getting married and becoming a mother, so there is a dimension that has remained very personal. This doesn’t stop me from having offered works to people I care about, because these are gifts that last and whose meaning can evolve with the life and gaze of the person who receives them. It is a way of sharing and creating bonds. Once, something funny happened to me that shows how art brings people together. When visiting for the first time the home of someone with whom I still had a certain formality, I noticed on one of the walls a lithograph (by Pomar) that I also had. It immediately worked as a conversation opener and a catalyst for connection, which was very pleasant.
Lauren Mendinueta
Poet
"A few years have passed since I became a Member, and time has only reinforced the certainty that I made a good choice"
Lauren Mendinueta is a Colombian poet living in Portugal for over a decade. With 11 published books, she found in CPS another form of poetry.
How long have you been a CPS Member?
A few years have passed since I became a Member, and time has only reinforced the certainty that I made a good choice. In these last two years, in which we have spent long periods confined at home, when I look at the works I have acquired from CPS, I feel surrounded by beauty. Art is undoubtedly great company.
What led you to sign up?
I am a poet and I am fascinated by all forms of art. When I first visited the CPS gallery, I knew that, because of the richness of its catalogue, the variety of artists and the payment facilities, it was a good opportunity to start a collection of graphic artwork.
In your collection, which are your favourite pieces, which would you highlight?
Each piece I brought home is special. I could mention many, but I will name two: a serigraph by Maria José Oliveira, which navigates between the abstract and the figurative; and a digital print by Pedro Calapez from the series “Apanhados”, inspired by a poem by Paul Klee. In both works I see poetry breathing.
What role does CPS play in your family?
In my family, several members are CPS associates, one of them being Edouard, my husband. Choosing a piece together is something that gives us great pleasure. Our five-year-old son is also building his own collection. I remember that before his last birthday he fell in love with a work by Fabesko, from the “Dinosaurs” series; when he received it as a gift, he was the happiest kid in the world. For this Christmas, Gabriel has already included in his wish list a work by José de Guimarães.
Luís d'Eça
Editor of the Cultural Agenda of Lisbon
"CPS’s activity has been of the utmost relevance in maintaining and preserving traditional techniques"
How long have you been a CPS Member?
Since 1989. And I stayed, seduced by the variety and quality of the edited works.
What led you to sign up?
As far as I remember, at least since my great-grandparents, there has always been an appreciation for art and antiques in the family. My parents were members of Cooperativa Gravura, so when I had my first home, I brought with me a beautiful collection of those editions from several generations of Portuguese artists, from Almada Negreiros to Paula Rego. When I became a CPS member, I did so as a continuation of that tradition, to enrich that collection with graphic works by contemporary artists.
In your collection, which are your favourite pieces, which would you highlight?
I highlight one I have in my living room, a large-format serigraph by Alexandre Farto, better known as Vhils. It is a very special edition of only ten copies, each intervened by the artist. It is a highly coveted piece by everyone who visits me. Among the most recent CPS editions, I would like to highlight those by Rui Sanches, Pedro Calapez and Graça Pereira Coutinho.
What role does CPS play in your family?
The pieces I have were all chosen with the help of my children and always thinking about “passing the torch”. João, when he moved out, took with him a beautiful piece by Vladimir Velickovic, edited on cardboard with a vellum paper collage. Leonor has a fondness for the delicacy of the engravings by Alice Jorge. Inevitably, friends’ reactions have been less unanimous, ranging from enthusiasm to bewilderment. Some like them; others think it would be better to invest in a flashier car. The most stimulating case is the daughter of some friends who has an extraordinary visual memory, very attentive to the arts. Since she was very young, she made it a game with us: whenever she visited, she identified all the new pieces. She never fails. She shares with me a preference for the Vhils serigraph.
As editor of the Cultural Agenda of Lisbon, how do you see CPS in today's cultural context?
CPS’s activity has been extremely relevant in maintaining and preserving traditional graphic arts techniques, in promoting contemporary artists, and in making their work accessible, bringing art into the daily lives of many families. And always within a context of innovation, as demonstrated by collaborations with artists from the fields of Street Art, Artificial Intelligence, and most recently, editions in the field of brut or outsider art.
João Reis
Actor and stage director
"As a Member, I am already, in some way, committing myself to the work of these artists"
How long have you been a CPS Member?
I have been a member for about four and a half years, which is very little considering the amount and diversity of artists and proposals, but the journey is made by observing. What makes me stay is the idea that, as a member, I am already in some way committing myself to the work of these artists, and I can later acquire their works at more accessible prices. Then there is something that always makes me curious and that, contradicting a little the idea that values exclusivity, makes me wonder who the other 20, or 100, or 500 people who share my choice are. I had never thought about that until I was surprised to see a serigraph I particularly like reproduced in someone else’s home. Let’s say it was a pleasant surprise.
What led you to sign up?
What led me to sign up, initially, was the idea of contributing to a commitment with some of these artists, buying and sharing their works. In a simple, fair and very pop way.
In your collection, which are your favourite pieces, which would you highlight?
My collection is still very small and varied, but I would say that among gifts and a few serigraphs without display space, two of the latest are one by Maria José Oliveira and another by João Francisco Vilhena and Susana Anágua. And may the older pieces I started with four years ago forgive me.
What role does CPS play in your family?
CPS's role in my family is very personal. The choices are mostly mine, although the framing and display spaces are shared. My children often experiment with painting and drawing materials, and although it is an intermittent activity, I recognize that it gives them a critical and aesthetic sense that allows them to make choices and have opinions. We do not always agree, but at least we understand why.
Helen Duphorn
Managing Director of Ikea Portugal
"I believe that art can be a very interesting way to get to know and better understand a country and its people"
How long have you been a CPS Member?
I have been a CPS Member for approximately two years. The shop caught my attention during a visit to the CCB. It was shortly after my arrival in Portugal and it seemed like an interesting way to get to know Portuguese artists in a much more accessible way.
What led you to sign up?
I believe that art can be a very interesting way to get to know and better understand a country and its people. Being Swedish, CPS represents for me an interesting opportunity to discover Portuguese artists and their work, which I believe reflect the culture, values, and way of being of the Portuguese. At the same time, CPS plays an important role in providing broader access to art, which is normally only available to a very restricted group of people due to cost.
Finally, I strongly believe in the role that the home plays in improving our lives – a better, more functional, sustainable and, why not, more beautiful home helps improve our daily lives. And when art touches and moves us, it is a pleasure to have it in our home every day.
In your collection, which are your favourite pieces?
The pieces I like the most are by Cruzeiro Seixas and Cargaleiro. When I bought them, I was not fully aware of how well known these artists were in Portugal, but I understand their success. They are pieces that truly move me.
Joana Valsassina
Curator and cultural producer
"CPS has given me an unusual level of access to art, which I would not otherwise have"
How long have you been a Member?
I have been a CPS member for almost a decade! In fact, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact moment I became a member because I have regularly visited CPS since childhood, accompanying my father or grandmother, who have been members and enthusiasts for more than 20 years. It became a common practice, and it is a pleasure for me to continue it as a way to cultivate and share the admiration I have for contemporary art.
What led you to sign up as well?
What led me to become a member was this long-standing family relationship with the Portuguese Screen Printing Centre. The walls of the house I grew up in were always filled with serigraphs, and for as long as I can remember, I have been used to visiting CPS with my family, something that fed my interest in contemporary art from an early age and strongly contributed to my professional path in curatorship. The motivation to become a member surfaced naturally when I began to feel the desire to collect works of art, and indeed the “Geração Futuro” campaign, which offers advantages for enrolling family members of existing Members, was an excellent opportunity. CPS has granted me an unusual level of access to art which I would not otherwise have. Particularly for a young audience, it seems to me to be a unique opportunity to cultivate and satisfy a growing interest in the artistic world.
In your collection, which are your favourite pieces?
It is quite difficult to choose, but I would say that I have a special fondness for the Armanda Passos series from 2000, which I have lived with for a long time, for the work “Stories to Tell Slowly – Meerkat” (2010) by Engrácia Cardoso, which I offered to my father when I became a member, and among more recent works, for the intervened engravings by Dominique Coffignier.
Some of the most beautiful works I purchased I do not own anymore because I gave them as gifts, such as the extraordinary Cruzeiro Seixas serigraph from 2013, and the work “Path to Infinity” by Maria José Oliveira (2017).
What place does CPS hold in your family today?
CPS holds an important place in my family, present in the lives of four generations. It is also a passion I nurture and share with close friends, some of whom are now members as well. I take great pleasure in offering a serigraph on special occasions, and I do so whenever I have the opportunity, whether for birthdays, weddings, or the birth of a child. I do this with great joy, also because I consider that the Portuguese Screen Printing Centre plays a remarkable role in disseminating contemporary art and, above all, in its democratization.
Soares Braz Family
Catarina Soares Braz represents the next generation of CPS members
Julieta Soares Braz showed us how the works of four Members coexist: the four members of the family!
How long have you been a CPS Member?
This December marks my 20th anniversary as a CPS member. A friend explained to me the concept of acquiring artworks through very affordable monthly installments. Two decades later, I continue to buy artworks without feeling the burden of full upfront payment. It has been a great investment.
What led you to sign up?
After learning about the benefits offered by CPS, I became a member. As someone who has appreciated art since a young age and as a graphic designer, it did not take long for me to make my first acquisitions. I invited my boyfriend, now my husband, to join CPS, and later my “heart son” (stepson). I now have a six-year-old daughter (in the photo) who is already a member and an art lover, wanting to be a painter in the future.
Which are your favourite works?
We are four members across different generations, and consensus was not unanimous. Individually, we greatly appreciate Cruzeiro Seixas, José de Guimarães, Sofia Areal, Manuel D’Olivares, and Fabesko. This gives each space a personalized look, making the decoration a highly expressive chromatic palette.
What place does CPS hold in your family?
From the beginning, my relationship with CPS has been very happy and fruitful. Over time, the collection has grown. Today, we have been able to decorate and even redecorate our primary home and our holiday house with CPS artworks, easily creating harmonious and distinct styles for each space. In recent years, we have been offering serigraphs to friends and family, especially for important moments in their lives, and it is with joy that we see their surprise and delight upon receiving a unique, timeless gift with aesthetic and financial value. This long, happy, and fruitful association with CPS is here to stay, because I want to follow my daughter's collection closely for another 20 years, discovering new talents together.
Pedro Nunes
Member since the beginning
"Art welcomes our gaze every day and challenges us generously"
How long have you been a CPS Member?
Since its foundation, 33 years ago. Over the years, the initial expectation has been nurtured by the variety of CPS’s offerings. The difficulties arose when choosing. The criteria were multiple, often ambiguous and at times contradictory: respecting the plurality of family taste made the choice difficult. Several reasons were at stake: sometimes the serigraph itself; other times, the serigraph and the artist; other times, the artist alone; and even situations in which the reason for choosing was the intention of giving the piece as a gift.
What led you to sign up?
The good taste and entrepreneurial spirit of CPS’s project, aimed at promoting a culture of art. Being able to participate in such an innovative project, bringing art closer to our lives in a family context, and at the same time being able to share this added value with friends, became the motivating force that remains very much alive today.
In your collection, which are your favourite works?
A serigraph by Artur Bual (the expressiveness of the line revealing the intuitive strength of a penetrating creative gaze, capable of revealing reality beyond appearances); several works by Cruzeiro Seixas (the symbolic dreamlike language that evokes great Western myths), and by Cesariny (as if accessing reality poetically); and the first CPS edition, a serigraph by Manuel Cargaleiro (harmony of colours).
What place does CPS hold in your family?
CPS, not least because of our three decades of marriage, represents today a place of genuine closeness and familiarity with art. In a kind of trinity, in dialogue with books and music, art welcomes our gaze every day and generously challenges us with new, pleasing horizons.
We could no longer live without the meaningful presence of the various artworks: our gaze upon the works and being looked at by them — this permanent interaction of gazes is now an integral part of our family’s cultural space.
Sílvia and Vítor
Members for just over a year, they tell how a work that “made time stop” was the “click” that led them to join
How long have you been Members?
Our relationship with CPS is very recent. We have been members for only one year, and we intend to remain so for many more, as it has allowed us to discover and acquire some of the magnificent works of Portuguese and foreign artists associated with CPS.
What led you to sign up? What motivated you?
We discovered CPS at an exhibition fair in Lisbon. We had just moved to a new, more spacious home. As we were fascinated by the displayed works, we considered joining CPS an excellent option to have art in our home.
In your collection, which are your favourite works?
Of all the works we already have in our collection, there is one that represents the beginning. When at the exhibition fair we saw a work by Graça Pereira Coutinho, we unanimously agreed that we had to purchase the serigraph with collage that tells us, “Drawing is stopping time.” Appreciating art is also stopping time. It is thoroughly exploring the lines and colours of the techniques used in search of the artist’s message. That is why this is our favourite piece.
What place does CPS hold in your family?
The CPS collection appeared, as we mentioned, with our move. We discovered artists such as Sofia Areal, who enchanted us with her flowers “born from the seeds of joy”, and Dominique Coffignier with his engravings. All the works we have acquired hold a prominent place in our home. They are part of the space we share with family and friends. They too are fascinated by these works. It is funny because they stop to appreciate the paintings and comment on which one they like most. Our mothers even have the habit of asking whether we have a new artwork already. Our children, despite being young, also enjoy it and especially like accompanying us when choosing new works. They see art differently. We are very happy to have joined CPS because it has given our home new colour and new life.
Carla and Vasco
Teachers
"There is always the possibility of offering original gifts to friends and family on many occasions"
How long have you been Members?
Since 1995. We never considered cancelling the subscription because, beyond being able to acquire various pieces, there is always the possibility of offering original gifts to friends and family on many occasions.
What led you to sign up? What motivated you?
We signed up the year we got married, after being offered two serigraphs from CPS. The friend who gifted them ended up proposing us, at our request, because we found CPS’s concept very appealing and innovative. Even after 22 years, there are always opportunities to acquire interesting works, and lately, beyond serigraphs, we have been buying other pieces — sculptures and “wine with art” — which always make successful gifts.
In your collection, which are your favourite works?
For Vasco, it is "Jazz" from the “Rhythms of Colour” series by Eduardo Nery, due to the connection between the visual arts and music.
For me (Carla), it is the “Homage to Vieira da Silva” by Mário Cesariny, due to the painter’s connection to literature and because it was the first artwork — the one gifted to us by several very special friends as a wedding present!
What place does CPS hold in your family?
After two decades as members, the homes of our relatives and friends also have CPS works offered by us on important occasions (birthdays, Christmas, baptisms, or weddings). Thanks to these gifts, some friends, just like us initially, asked to become Members. In the homes of some of them, we even find ourselves looking at their walls as if they were a “sticker album”, trying to identify the artists and whether we have the same works!
Today, given the number of serigraphs we have acquired, we rotate the artworks depending on the occasion, in various parts of the house. For example, the triptych by Domingos Mateus has become a usual presence during the Christmas season, next to the nativity scene! And the engraving by Pedro Calapez alternates with one of our serigraphs by Luis Feito, depending on the time of year, on the central wall of our living room.
Since our taste leans more toward abstract pieces (and less toward figurative ones), what pleases us about CPS when purchasing art as gifts is the fact that there is such a diverse range of works that covers various genres and tastes.