Breaking the Silence – Walking Together

Now in its 7^th edition, Imago Lisboa reaffirms itself as a plural space for encounter and reflection around the photographic image. Firmly established within Lisbon’s cultural landscape — and with growing national and international recognition — the festival once again presents itself not only as an exhibition platform, but as an active agent in the development of visual literacy and critical engagement with contemporary visual arts.

The 2025 edition unfolds in a context where photographic practice is called upon to think the world from within its own ontology: the gaze, the act of recording, memory, and silence. The curatorial theme—Breaking the Silence, Walking Together—invites listening and sharing, at a time when coexistence among cultures and experiences has become imperative.

Portugal, as a historical crossroads of encounters, migrations, and displacements, emerges also as a space of hospitality and of silence. The construction of our collective identity has always been shaped by the presence of the other — the crusaders who settled in conquered territories, the foreigners who occupied overseas possessions, the migrants who today respond to the needs of a declining population. This festival therefore aims to open the space for narratives that have been historically silenced and to promote active listening of those voices.

The artistic program of Imago Lisboa 2025 is built around a series of exhibitions that foster dialogues between established and emerging artists from diverse geographies and generations. These exhibitions reflect the richness and diversity of current photographic practices and are complemented by a long catalog of activities: talks, workshops, screenings, portfolio reviews, and conferences.

As part of its strategy to expand and engage new audiences, the festival also promotes educational initiatives in municipal libraries, with sessions dedicated to the History of Photography and conversations around the work of participating artists — creating opportunities for a more sensitive and informed reading of their visual narratives.

Finally, in a more playful and experimental approach, Imago Lisboa offers open workshops for young people, seniors, and families, exploring alternative ways of making and thinking about photography. Because it is also through play, gesture, and improvisation that silences are broken and new shared paths are created.

— Rui Prata

For the seventh year in a row, the Lisbon City Council is partnering with Imago Lisboa, a photography festival that, ever since its debut in 2019, has earned growing national and international recognition.

The festival’s broad vision of artistic work in the field of photography—bringing together renowned artists and younger generations, embracing the documentary form, and its pedagogical approach through conferences, workshops, and debates— has become its defining hallmark, making it accessible and relevant to a wide range of publics.

Every year, Imago Lisboa deploys art as a tool for reflection about the world we live in, placing its thematic focus on critical issues of contemporary life. This year’s theme Breaking the Silence – Walking Together aims to inspire thought and dialogue about racism and xenophobia, scourges of today’s society. Lisbon, an open and plural city, is committed to tolerance, equality, and interculturality, and welcomes all initiatives that share these core values.

In this spirit, it is crucial that the Lisbon City Council continues to support projects like Imago Lisboa, which affirm the importance of artistic work as a space for thought, reflection, and creation, while also contributing to the city’s cultural vitality and strengthening its values of inclusion, diversity, and transformative dialogue.

— Laurentina Pereira
Municipal Director of Culture at Lisbon City Council