History of Portugal - London, January 2011 - Acrylic 80x60cm Portugal is probably the only European country created by the Crusades. Those navigating from North of Europe to the Mediterranean sea needed safe coasts. Most Portuguese seaside, up to Algarve, was conquered from the Muslims (Moors) before 1200 (first shield represents the presence of the Muslim world up to Oporto). The Templar Order (North/West European countries) helped to consolidate the land as Christian (shield on the right). The inherent social weakness of the country could not afford different cultures, or different power brokers. Jews (the shield at the bottom) were ordered to leave the country, however, the poor ones had the option to stay but converting to the Kingdom's official ideological religion. The positive side was that all vestiges of the past were destroyed and new identities given. During the imitation of the Spanish inquisition, it was impossible to find 'non-believers', although some randomly scapegoats paid with their lives. Portugal was probably the most isolated country in Europe (isolated by its powerful neighbour Spain). It turned its eyes beyond to Asia, Americas and Africa. They had ambassadors in Ethiopia around 1400; they were the first Europeans in Japan (though their missionaries were not wanted after). One Chinese Governor presented the country with the small islands of Macao when it helped the locals to secure the waters against pirates. The Portuguese Magellan (Fernão de Magalhães) captained the first round world sea journey. The geographic survey of the Sidney and Melbourne coasts was done 100 years before Cook. Sciences and Maths were developed. Alas, after the Napoleonic wars, it also created an illiterate Empire administrated by an illiterate Metropolis. Most of the expansion was done under the intricate red cross on the left. The shield also represents the Republic, fascism, colonialism, etc. The country was also permanently divided between the military protection of Great Britain, the Crown and its pragmatic ideas (that saw the Portuguese King exiled to Brazil, far from the poor reality left behind), and the French rational culture (and France's state centralised views). The Republic prevailed. Finally, in the centre, the first time isolation ends (European Union) and the first time Portugal faces fair and square international competition. The country still has to tune its poor democracy (not reflected in services).
The painting depicts the past, the present and the future of Portugal. The idea was to use the very elaborated Portuguese flag and represent instead a stage of actors, the reds and the greens penetrating each other side. The shadow of the shield is the result of a West Sun. In the morning, East Sun, the shadow has a crescent shape changing then to shadows without apparent meanings. Which forces will dominate our future?