The exhibition An Incision in Time was the result of an invitation from the Museu do Côa to the Atelier-Museu to display Júlio Pomar’s work at the former.

The invitation to exhibit the painter’s work at the Museu do Côa was based on the fact that Júlio Pomar’s work, particularly his prints, could be considered ‘a peer’ of the Vale do Côa engravings.

Following the invitation, the Atelier-Museu went to visit the museum site, which was designed by architects Pedro Tiago Pimentel and Camilo Rebelo.

Besides aspects related to rock art and its interpretation, the museum features works by artists Ângelo de Sousa and Alberto Carneiro in its permanent exhibition, establishing a fruitful comparison between rock art and contemporary art. Ângelo de Sousa’s intervention at the museum consists of the installation of several mirrors which amplify the experience of the building’s angles and reflect the image of the observer, who becomes the observed.  Alberto Carneiro designed a Mandala Tree for the Côa Engravers, located in the Time of Art room, which links art to life, and nature to culture. A visit to this uniquely beautiful site also offers the opportunity to descend into the Côa Valley, where the Atelier-Museu team were able to see the rock engravings first-hand.

 As the curatorial team at the Atelier-Museu are fully familiar with the collection of Júlio Pomar’s work, they were able to devise the exhibition immediately.

The exhibition thus includes a set of prints by Júlio Pomar which allow links to the Côa engravings to be established and the idea that the artist could be understood as the contemporary ‘peer’ of the Vale de Côa engravers to be confirmed.