Portimão Museum opens exhibition "Sardines – The Endless Purse Seine Fishing"

With free entry, Portimão will be the only city in the Algarve to host this exhibition, which is an intimate and profound portrait of an activity that marks Portuguese identity and which, in the past, was the driving force behind the municipality's economy.

In this context, the Portimão Sardine Gastronomic Brotherhood, with the support of the municipality of Portimão, did not want to miss the opportunity to introduce this considerable and vast project to the Portimão community and visitors to the municipality.

At the same time, on the opening day, the Sardine Gastronomic Brotherhood will be announcing many new developments and making exclusive revelations that promise to surprise the public, in an event filled with emotions and symbols of local identity that will leave no one indifferent.

Composed of photographs, texts, infographics, and technical drawings, this diverse set of elements contextualizes and deepens knowledge about purse seine fishing, a traditional method of catching sardines, the practice of which involves not only technical knowledge, but also a strong cultural heritage and collective identity.

"The real challenge was capturing the soul of the activity—the fishermen's lives, the power of the natural elements, and the constant uncertainty that defines daily life," says Hélder Luís. Over the course of four years, the photographer traveled to ports from north to south of Portugal and now shares this sensitive and profound perspective in a unique opportunity for the Algarve public.

"This is my contribution to the recognition of these men who spend many nights searching for a fish that stubbornly eludes them, often returning tired, discouraged, and without sustenance, only to return to the sea the next night and do it all over again," he adds. And if each reader or visitor "can feel the splashing of the salt water and the flying fish scales, one of the objectives of this project will be achieved," he concludes.

The exhibition «Sardinha – O Sem Fim da Pesca do Cerco», promoted by the Gastronomic Brotherhood of Portimão, with the support of the municipality of Portimão, can be visited until November 23, every Tuesday, from 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm, and from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, closing on Mondays and national holidays.

Images capture the “essence” of purse seine fishing

Created by photographer Hélder Luís, the exhibition "Sardinha – O Sem Fim da Pesca do Cerco" (Sardine – The Endless Purse Seine Fishing) is the result of an extensive documentary project developed over four years, between 2018 and 2022. For this faithful record, the author followed the crews of purse seine vessels across the country for the first time, immersing himself in the experiences of Portuguese fishing communities and their daily lives, closely capturing the emotions and relationship of these professionals with the sea.

In a workplace as vast as it is unpredictable, Hélder Luís accompanied many of the fishermen's journeys. While initially he thought he could concentrate this project solely on the northern zone, over time he realized that this activity is dependent on multiple factors, one of them being the location of the sardines. With the species remaining for long periods further south in recent years, much of the purse seine fleet "migrated" to these waters, often taking the author on board, who thus passed through several ports from Matosinhos to the Algarve.

This wasn't the only change he made throughout the project, however. Initially, he was convinced he would publish "a book about sardine fishing," but after the first few trips, "it became clear that sardines weren't enough to satisfy the yearlong hunger for fish," so the central theme became purse seine fishing, the author states. The big difference is that, in addition to purse seine fishing, this broader technique also includes the capture of mackerel, horse mackerel, and anchovy, subject to different regulations.

"I only didn't go to sea when the fishermen were stuck ashore because of the sea conditions. When the boats were in Matosinhos, I could go to sea from Sunday to Thursday without much difficulty. If they went further south, to Peniche, Sines, or the Algarve, the trips required different preparation. They involved making plans with the captains and condensing as many embarkations as possible into the time," he reports. Despite these setbacks, the outcome was very positive.

The truth is that close and prolonged monitoring of this activity gave him a more comprehensive view of purse seine fishing and the different ways fishermen in the north and the rest of the country work.

He observed, photographed, and filmed several days of an activity that, despite being monotonous, surprises with each new venture into the sea, because the natural elements introduce "a frightening number of variables." In an instant, they transform a simple and routine task into a complex and dangerous challenge. And during those four years, he endured the same conditions as the fishermen, which gave him a greater understanding and new perspectives on purse seine fishing. Only then would it be possible to portray the hardship of work at sea.

A rich but little-documented activity, where the crews and the spirit of camaraderie stand out, transforming these men and their families into a true community. And that's what he hopes to convey, first with the book "Sardinha – O Sem Fim da Pesca do Cerco" (Sardine – The Endless Purse Seine Fishing) and now with the exhibition of the same name.

About the author

Hélder Luís, a native of Póvoa de Varzim, is a designer, multimedia artist, musician, and photographer. He studied graphic design and typography and, since 1996, has been developing projects for various companies and institutions. As a multimedia artist and experimental musician, he has presented individual and collective works in Portugal and abroad, while continuing to compose and publish music.

Since 2018, he has dedicated himself to exploring maritime culture through photography, installations, and book publishing. He investigates the profound relationship between coastal communities and the ocean, documenting traditional practices, transformations, and collective memories. His work has been presented throughout the country and stands as a contemporary reflection on maritime heritage.

His career includes the installations "MAR" at the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art and "Under the Above" at Solar – Cinematic Art Gallery (2018), as well as the artistic residency "MARPVZ19/20", supported by the Póvoa de Varzim City Council (2019), which resulted in multiple documentary and artistic projects, of which this exhibition presented in Portimão is a part. Last year, he also presented the sound installation "Búzio", a reflection on memory and the people's relationship with the sea.

In editorial terms, Hélder Luís published the photography book «Atlântico» (July 2029), «Na língua da maré», together with Abel Coentrão for the fishing insurance cooperative Mútua dos Pescadores (2022), «Sardinha» (2023), which, to date, is his largest documentary photography project on maritime culture, and «Rumo à Pesca» (2024).