“Freedom in Fragments” – Analogue Collage Workshop with Lia Rodrigues

A deep dive into a defining moment in Portuguese history, the 25th April, exploring through collage themes of transformation and freedom

This analogue collage workshop explores the 25th of April as a defining moment in Portuguese history, symbolising the transition from dictatorship to freedom and democracy. Through image, discussion and making, the workshop invites participants to reflect on freedom as both a historical achievement and an ongoing, collective practice.

The session begins with a concise introduction to the historical context preceding the 25th of April 1974, including examples of censorship and visual control under the Estado Novo regime. This contextual framework is supported by references to the artist’s own collage practice, as well as examples from other artists whose work engages with themes of resistance, memory, political expression and liberation.

Collage is approached as a critical and poetic methodology: a process of cutting, reassembling and re-signifying images that mirrors the act of dismantling imposed narratives and creating new meanings. Following a moment of collective discussion, participants are guided into an individual collage-making process focused on the theme of freedom, encouraging personal interpretation and intuitive decision-making.

Scheduled close to (and preferably before) the 25th of April, the workshop creates a reflective space for anticipation and awareness, reinforcing the relevance of freedom beyond a fixed historical date. The methodology emphasises process over outcome, dialogue over instruction, and collage as a tool for both personal expression and social reflection.

About Lia:

Lia Rodrigues is a visual artist based in Faro, Portugal. From an early age, she developed a strong connection to the arts, completing formal training in Visual Arts and later graduating in Advertising and Marketing from the Lisbon Polytechnic Institute. In 2018, during her third period of emigration in France, she discovered collage as a response to material limitation and the need to reinvent her creative process.

Her practice engages with surrealism and the absurd, creating layered visual narratives that invite slowness, attention and contemplation. Resisting the fast logic of everyday life, her work proposes a more sensitive and critical gaze, where art becomes a space for questioning and transformation. Alongside her artistic practice, she pursues continuous education and collaborates with schools, cultural spaces and festivals. Since February 2026, she has been an artist in residence at Gama Rama Gallery and Creative Hub.

Collage Working Club (CWC) is a weekly open workspace for artists working in the medium of paper. Organised in the format of alternate ‘drop in’ sessions and workshops masterclasses, it has both a regular facilitator, whilst also involving the artist community in the sharing of knowledge and skills. Providing materials, education and connections is the primary aim of CWC, and it will do this through the interdisciplinary art of collage as both an art form and a tool for personal growth.

O Collage Working Club (CWC) é um espaço de trabalho semanal aberto a artistas que trabalham com o suporte papel. Organizado no formato de sessões alternadas e masterclasses, tem um facilitador regular, ao mesmo tempo que envolve a comunidade de artistas na partilha de conhecimentos e competências.Fornecer materiais, educação e ligações é o principal objetivo do CWC, e fá-lo-á através da interdisciplinaridade da colagem como uma forma de arte e uma ferramenta para o crescimento pessoal.

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