On 6 June 2026, Mozambican artist Malangatana Ngwenya (Matalana, 1936 – Matosinhos, 2011) would have turned 90. The date is being commemorated simultaneously in Mozambique and Portugal through the project “Malangatana, 90 Years – Practice, Memory and Catharsis”, organised by the Malangatana Valente Ngwenya Foundation in partnership with CICANT at Lusófona University.
The programme presents a wide-ranging set of initiatives across both countries, combining exhibitions, performances, audiovisual works, publications, and academic activities, structured as a long-term cultural and research platform leading towards the artist’s centenary in 2036.
In Portugal, the programme began with a preview screening on 19 March at the João Verde Cinema-Theatre in Monção and continues in April with the exhibition “Mozambican Twilight”, opening on 11 April at 4 pm at Espaço Mira. Curated by Lurdes Macedo and Manuel Santos Maia, the exhibition explores Malangatana’s artistic universe through works by the artist, his contemporaries, and younger Mozambican creators, alongside archival materials, folk art, and documentary resources. A documentary on his life and work will be screened continuously.
The opening programme will be enriched by contributions from family members, friends, scholars, and the curators.
Further activities include a dramatised poetry reading by Lusófona University – Porto students (15 April), the launch of Malangatana: The Eye of the Crocodile by Richard Gray (9 May at Mira Forum), and a commemorative session on 6 June, featuring the screening of No Trilho de Malangatana: do Legado à Memória by Lurdes Macedo, followed by a public discussion.
The first half of the programme will conclude with the session Malangatana – Practice, Memory and Catharsis, as part of CICANT’s 2nd Summer School of African Studies in Portuguese.
Structured around audiovisual production, exhibitions, research, education, events, and performance, the project positions itself as a long-term platform for cultural policy, heritage preservation, and international artistic dialogue.