Jogo do Sério #9: Open Call for Museum Occupation at Círculo de Artes Plásticas de Coimbra

This exhibition project, curated within the 'MUSEU' space, invites the community to participate in a creative dialogue with the work 'O exercício lento das imagens' by artist José Maçãs de Carvalho. As part of a series of open calls, the project seeks a partner object to be displayed alongside the main artwork, challenging perceptions of how museum spaces function.

The 'Jogo do Sério' (Serious Game) project is a curatorial initiative by Francisco Tropa that turns the MUSEU—a compact, glass-walled sculpture/gallery—into a site for community engagement and contemporary art. In this ninth installment, the exhibition focuses on the work 'O exercício lento das imagens' by artist José Maçãs de Carvalho, creating a tension and dialogue between the displayed piece and a second, community-selected object. The initiative encourages public participation by asking contributors to suggest objects that act as 'play partners' for the central artwork, thereby testing preconceived ideas about museum functions, scale, and accessibility. By democratizing the curatorial process through open calls, the project effectively transforms the museum experience into an interactive exercise, fostering a deep, direct relationship between the public, the artwork, and the spatial constraints of the MUSEU architecture.

Admission to the exhibition is generally open to the public as part of the Círculo de Artes Plásticas de Coimbra programme. Participants interested in the open call process should submit their proposals via the specified email address provided by the organization.