Opening of “In the Shade of the Pine Tree” at the João Soares House-Museum

The João Soares House-Museum in Cortes, Leiria, will open the exhibition “In the Shade of the Pine Tree” on 19 September at 5:30 pm, as part of the 2026 European Heritage Days. The opening will feature a concert by Catraia. Admission is free.

Curated by Paula Marques, the exhibition takes as its starting point the fall of the pine tree that shaped the landscape and memories of the House-Museum for decades, brought down by Storm Kristin in January 2026. Through the tree’s history and its connection to the community, the exhibition explores memory, natural heritage and the capacity for regeneration.

This exhibition marks the first public stage of an artistic and community project that will continue into 2027. The pine tree’s wood, entrusted to artists, schools and social organisations, will be transformed into new works. These will return to the House-Museum in a new exhibition and an artwork created for its garden.