The exhibition titled ‘Mário Soares: Um Homem Inteiro’ is part of the celebrations marking the centenary of the birth of the first leader of the PS and former President of the Republic, on display until January 15.
Luís Vasconcelos, a native of Peso da Régua, has an extensive career in photojournalism, having worked for Jornal Novo and news agencies ANOP, Notícias de Portugal, and Lusa. He co-founded Público in 1989 and also worked for the magazine Visão.
His exhibition comprises 50 photographs taken over three decades, capturing the revolutionary period in 1974-75, the consolidation of democracy in the 1970s and 80s, and Mário Soares’ presidency starting in 1986.
The coordinator of the Mário Soares centenary celebrations, writer José Manuel dos Santos, regards Vasconcelos’ photographs as an “indispensable act of pedagogy” for the present.
“This photographic exhibition by Luís Vasconcelos presents Mário Soares in his political grandeur. We also see the man in his entirety, from his most private to his most public aspects,” he says.
The coordinator further notes, “In a time of violent and crude attacks on democracy, when small-mindedness has become immense, this exhibition is a testimony of memory that brings the past and its lessons.”
José Manuel dos Santos believes Vasconcelos’ photographs are “an essential and valuable act of pedagogy in the threatened present and also a manifesto of conviction and responsibility towards the future.”
Among the photographs on display, the former socialist prime minister (1976/78 and 1983/1985) is seen in political tribunes and campaigns throughout the country, at official celebrations, and in moments of reflection or casual and relaxed settings. Some photos feature him alongside prominent national and international political and cultural figures, while others depict him among the people on the streets.
Historian Pedro Marques Gomes, who is coordinating the exhibition, states, “Luís Vasconcelos’ photos show the joy of living, the unexpected laughter, the contemplative silence, the solemn attitude, the attentive gaze, and Soares’ impassioned speech, inviting us to reflect on his legacy.”
The photographer, Luís Vasconcelos, considers the exhibition his “tribute to the man who, through his journey, was and is primarily responsible for the peace and freedom enjoyed in the country today.”
“I hope that in my photographs, people see his joy of living, the dignity with which he represented our country abroad, enhancing its respect; his respect for the right to difference, and the love he had for Portugal, not wanting it isolated from the world,” wrote Luís Vasconcelos in his statement for the exhibition.
Luís Vasconcelos first photographed Mário Soares during the May Day demonstration in Lisbon, 1974.
In 1985, he was invited to be the photographer for the Movimento de Apoio de Soares à Presidência (MASP). Following the election victory, he served as the official photographer of the Presidency of the Republic for ten years during Soares’ two terms at the Palácio de Belém.
