Blink Exhibition – Print Works from the CAM Gulbenkian Collection

From June 21 to September 27, 2026, the House of Islamic and Mediterranean Culture in Silves hosts the exhibition 'Blink – Deciding in the Blink of an Eye', a display of print works from the prestigious collection of the Modern Art Centre (CAM) at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

The exhibition title draws inspiration from the famous story about the authenticity of the Greek Kouros statue acquired in 1985 by the J. Paul Getty Museum, and from Malcolm Gladwell's writings on intuition and rapid decision-making. The curatorial concept invites visitors to reflect on how the eye captures, in an instant, information that the brain takes longer to process — a powerful metaphor for the immediate impact of graphic art.

The CAM Gulbenkian collection is one of the most important references for Portuguese modern and contemporary art, bringing together works by leading artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. This selection of prints, brought from the capital to the south of the country, is part of a cultural programme aimed at decentralizing access to art and energizing regions beyond major urban centres.

The House of Islamic and Mediterranean Culture is a space dedicated to dialogue between cultures, reflecting the Moorish past of Silves — the former capital of the Algarve kingdom. The sober and elegant building is the perfect setting for an exhibition that celebrates the relationship between tradition and modernity, between unhurried contemplation and sudden perception.

Admission is free and the exhibition can be visited during the regular opening hours of the cultural centre. For tourists visiting Silves in the summer, this is an excellent opportunity to complement their tour of the castle, cathedral, and municipal archaeology museum with an excursion into Portuguese contemporary art. We recommend checking opening hours in advance with the Silves Municipal Council.