ERGO FORTE: Spring Edition

A-Space is pleased to announce the ERGO Spring Edition, culminating with FORTE, a site-specific installation by
Martinho Costa.

This highly anticipated exhibition, curated by Frederico Vicente, will run from February 20 through March 2025, marking the second and final showcase of last year’s OpeN Call series.

Following a wealth of beautiful proposals, our second and final exhibition of this series will open in February, 20 2025.

In FORTE, Martinho Costa redefines traditional notions of painting by transforming more than seventy canvases into sculptural architectural forms. These works invite visitors to experience painting as more than a surface; they become spaces to enter, explore, and reflect upon. The boundaries between interior and exterior dissolve, as Costa’s pieces simultaneously embody front and back, structure and façade, permanence and impermanence.

Frederico Vicente’s curatorial approach complements Costa’s vision, weaving architecture, painting, and sculpture into a cohesive, immersive narrative. The exhibition further encourages contemplation on the role of structure as a dynamic fortress shaped by the need for a safe place for memories and lost emotions in an ever more insecure and transient world.

Martinho Costa: The Artist’s Vision
Costa’s innovative approach challenges the relationship between painting and space. For him, any subject can be painted, and any medium can serve as its foundation. His works incorporate salvaged materials and repurposed canvases, creating forms that act as barriers, passages, or enclaves. Costa’s installations question our understanding of space and its dualities—interior versus exterior, painting versus sculpture.

Frederico Vicente: Curating Space and Form
Architect and curator Frederico Vicente brings his expertise in ephemeral materials and architectural thought to FORTE. His long-standing collaboration with Costa blurs the lines between artistic and curatorial practices, allowing the exhibition itself to become an extension of the artwork. Together, they create a dialogue that transforms the gallery into a space of discovery and interaction.

Join us from February 20 at [A]Space to experience this compelling exploration of form, space, and the art of living.