Atlantic Whirlwind

Ankristina Nogueira's past exhibition

Lourdes Gallery

June 18, 2025 - 6:00 PM

Câmara de Lobos, Ilha da Madeira - Portugal

The exhibition “Atlantic Whirlpools,” by the artist Ankristina Nogueira, profoundly and sensitively evokes the historical and symbolic connection between America, Brazil, and Madeira Island — lands separated by thousands of kilometers yet united by the same element: the Atlantic Ocean.

This vast and enigmatic sea is at once a barrier and a bridge, a symbol of separation and union. In her works, the artist seeks to represent the oceanic whirlpools that give the exhibition its name — circular movements that, metaphorically, mirror the cultural, emotional, and natural bonds among these distant geographies.

As we contemplate the deep blues and the multiple shades emerging from the ocean’s depths, we are invited to reflect on the invisible force that connects us all: the Atlantic.

This connection is further strengthened by another element present in this artistic and cultural project — wind energy, a symbol of sustainability and renewal — developed by the mentor of this cultural hub, Quinta de São João, the space where the Lourdes Gallery is located. This place, on Madeira Island, stands out as a haven of tranquility, a meeting point between art, nature, and the ocean.

Here, the sound of the wind intertwines with creativity, forming an environment conducive to contemplation and aesthetic communion. “Atlantic Whirlpools” is, therefore, more than an exhibition: it is a celebration of what separates us and, at the same time, of what unites us — the ocean, art, and shared memory.

— Maria Jardim