The laboratories will be established in the factory António Estrela/Júlio Afonso built on a manufacturing plant of the 17th century, where now the NHL is located. This magical place gathers and preserves documentary collections composed of fabrics, yarns, technical files, colour palettes, blending palettes and fabric samples, chronologically identified and referenced between the years 1950 and 2002. NHL holds a number of creative laboratories in photography, multimedia, fashion and product design, plastic arts, painting and music. Since its foundation in 2013, it has developed a unique set of interdisciplinary projects and hosted numerous cultural and artistic events.

• Fundamentals of Digital Photography 

As a photographer, there’s the need to master the technical basics of the camera  and understand the kind of equipment that will be needed and used. This  workshop will also teach something crucial for success – how to bring your  creative vision to fruition. 

This workshop places emphasis on quality visuals and experiential learning. The  topics include: how to bring together the elements of manual mode to create an  evocative image; how to choose the right gear and develop efficient workflow;  and how to recognize and take advantage of natural light.  

This workshop will also teach participants to step back from their own images and  think critically about motivations, process, and ultimate goals for their artistic  creation. Participants will understand the gap between the world seen by the  human eye and the camera sensor, which will lead them to use their equipment  to its greatest potential. 

Workshop Leader: João Pedro Silva 

Dates: February-June 2021, with the presentation of the students final work in September of the same year.

 

• Cut and build Burel 

To provide the experience of working with an ancestral and representative fabric  of a territory, is the motto of the workshop “Cut and build Burel”. 

The training will have three stages. First, to know the technical characteristics of  Burel, its historical purpose, as well as its geographical and social context.  Second, to work with the tools suitable for the proper cut and handling. It is also  important to understand the adaptation necessary to the modeling of this specific  fabric. Third, to know how to sew, both manually and with a sewing machine, the  elements that compose a full piece.  

In the process, all students will have the opportunity to choose what they want to  create, whether it is an art installation, clothing or a piece of decoration.  

The workshop will end with a day-long showcase where the students will expose  and explain their process and creative choices. 

Workshop Leader: Miguel Gigante  

Dates: April-July 2021

Location: New Hand Lab