Grupo Anverso/Reverso: uma referência na medalhística contemporânea

Abstract

Over the past few decades, the Portuguese medal, has transcended its merely commemorative function to blossom as a true complex and multifaceted artistic language. Deeply marked by the relentless pursuit of experimentation and dynamism, the medal gains new life on the international stage. It is in this context that the Anverso/Reverso-Contemporary Medal Group emerges. Since its formation, it has been a driving force in medallic art, bringing forth new formal and conceptual approaches that redefine the medal as an artistic object, where tradition and innovation intersect, preserving and expanding the art of the medal. This dissertation "dives" into the intersections between technical and conceptual aspects, exploring experimentation and the dialogue with other artistic disciplines, as well as the reconfiguration of the dynamics between the work and the viewer, within the framework of the medal as an artistic object inscribed in a contemporary critical perspective. With a keen, descriptive, and critical look on the analysed works, within the context of an artistic practice that has freed itself from technical and conceptual limitations, we explore how these processes, present in the creations of the Anverso/Reverso members, achieve the ambitious design of doing what has never been done. The conclusions reveal the contribution of structures and organizations, but above all, these authors to the promotion and development of contemporary medals, suggesting future lines of inquiry. We also emphasize the need for greater recognition and appreciation of the medal as an artistic expression, reinforcing its contribution to the national and international artistic landscape.