Upcoming lecture: 'Homage to Bernini' — or the Baroque enigma in Álvaro Siza's architecture

“Ratto di Proserpina,” Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1621-1622.

Next Saturday, December 7th, I will be presenting the lecture ‘Homage to Bernini’ or the Baroque Enigma in Álvaro Siza's Architecture as part of Siza Baroque III: Concrete, White, Gold, a colloquium held at the Soares dos Reis National Museum.

This colloquium explores the unique perspectives of the participating researchers, residents, and guests, while delving into the craft of architecture and the work of Álvaro Siza. From “Waiting for Success”—a title borrowed from Henrique Pousão’s painting, exhibited at the Soares dos Reis Museum near the “Baroque Chamber”—to the Concrete, White, Gold periods identified as distinct phases of Siza’s career (much like those of Picasso), the event examines the nuances, overlaps, and resonances within these artistic phases.

My lecture will offer a critical reading of Gilles Deleuze’s Le Pli (1988), extending the concept of the infinite Baroque line to the folds evident in Siza’s architectural works. The title draws inspiration from Louise Bourgeois’s 1967 sculpture Homage to Bernini (Bourgeois herself often described her work as Baroque).

All are welcome to attend! More information can be found here.