Exhibition Explores Human Stories from Portugal’s Colonial Legacy

Thousands of images housed at the University of Lisbon trace an empire that stretched from Angola to Cape Verde. Filipa Vicente, a historian, spent a decade examining these colonial archives, finding the experience unnerving. She discovered images of often nameless individuals, likely photographed without their consent.

“These are violent visual archives,” explained Vicente, a researcher. In response, she envisioned a project that invited Portuguese families of African descent to curate their own photo archives, rummaging through personal collections to compile a new vision.

“It’s about creating a counter-narrative,” Vicente said. “Colonial photography often dehumanizes, so I wanted to see how photography could be used to illustrate self-representation, self-expression, and humanization.”

The outcome is a collaborative exhibition in Lisbon, available until the end of November, that delves into personal stories and offers an alternative view of one of Europe’s longest-lived colonial empires.

Inocência Mata, a literature professor at the University of Lisbon who co-curated the exhibit with Vicente, emphasized the significance of the chosen photographs. “It’s crucial to show that Black people are subjects of their own history, not just objects,” Mata stated.

Mostly dating back to 1975, the family photos reflect the experiences of 35 families who migrated from former colonies. These personal albums are accompanied by images that unveil the centuries-long history of Lisbon’s African community, a history that began in the 15th century with Portugal’s launch of the transatlantic slave trade.

When Chalo Correia heard about the project, he knew he had to participate. Originally from Angola, Correia’s three decades in Portugal exposed him to subtle racism that made him feel like an outsider. The exhibit provided a way to spotlight Lisbon’s diverse African-origin community, rooted in Portuguese history yet still marginalized.

“The photographs seemed a way to make visible what had long been invisible,” said Correia.

Correia, a musician and artist, contributed three photos depicting personal moments: sitting on a terrace with friends, a baptism, and a family party. Walking through the exhibition later, he was moved to tears, feeling a deep connection with the unfamiliar faces in the images.

“I felt I understood everyone in those photos, even if I didn’t know them,” he said.

While the stories are deeply personal, Vicente noted that Portugal’s colonial legacy is a common thread throughout the exhibit. “We had such a late, absurd colonialism that extended until 1975,” she said. “These stories remain very present in our daily lives.”

The cityscape of Lisbon still reflects its colonial past through monuments and street names. Vicente highlighted that Lisbon is full of colonial legacies but also home to a significant community of African descent.

The exhibition is housed in Padrão dos Descobrimentos, a monumental structure originally built to glorify Portugal’s empire. Some families declined to participate due to the controversial location, yet Vicente and Mata saw it as an opportunity to reinterpret the space from within.

“It’s about saying: ‘Yes, this is a historical monument with a specific story,’” said Vicente. “But we can resignify its meaning by holding this exhibition inside.”

The exhibit comes as Portugal grapples with how to address its colonial and slave-trading past. Earlier this year, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa suggested that Portugal should “pay the costs” for slavery and colonial crimes. This idea was quickly dismissed by the new center-right coalition government.

Mata believes that shedding light on the present-day reality of Portugal’s African-descended community is a form of reparation. “These so-called reparations—this is also a way of doing it,” she said.

“Black people have contributed significantly to building this country,” Mata added. “It’s time they have their voice.”