CU.RE September

Different country, same old cultural curiosity

Dear friends,

Welcome to CU.RE September, the first issue with content fully consumed in Amsterdam. This one comes a bit later than usual as I have been trying to adapt to a new country and a new city and also, to understand what the culture as to offer me. I know that some of these recommendations are not suitable for most of you - at least, the physical ones - but still, I wanted to share what marked this month in terms of culture and art and, perhaps, you feel inspired to get to know some of the mentioned things!

---

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

Joost Vandebrug

I discovered Vanderbrug’s work while visiting one of the exhibitions of the month (Nature, Perception, and materiality in contemporary lens-based art - Inka & Niclas, Adam Jeppsen and Joost Vandebrug mentioned bellow).

I’ve always loved works which foundations relies on photography but that, somehow, extrapole it. That’s the case with Vanderbrug’s works I saw: by working with photo-emulsion transfers and the unpredictable reactions of handmade paper, Vandebrug turns each image into a small “event”. What I love about some of the new works he presents at Bildhale Gallery is how each card feels like a self-contained fragment - almost like a tile - yet together they create a larger composition. Also, I find really interesting that by playing with the subtle chemical accidents and the way pigment seeps or resists, the artists is reminding us that photography is not only about what is captured and seen but also about a whole complex process behind the final product.

---

EXHIBITIONS OF THE MONTH

My Favourite:

• Brancusi, the birth of Modern Sculpture

  📍 H-Art Museum

  ⌛️ 20.09 - 18.01.2026

I apologise for featuring Brancusi for the second time in a row, but the truth is that I cannot deny how excited I was about this exhibition, even before visiting it.

As I used to do in Lisbon, I have been spending a lot of my time finding out which exhibitions are opening near me, and as soon as I heard that Brancusi was coming here, I was very excited to be able to see for the second time some of the works I was lucky enough to see in March last year at the Pompidou Center in Paris .

It did not disappoint, and I dare say that I liked this exhibition more than the one in Paris.

I felt that all the narrative was really well constructed, and the wall texts really gave the right context to the works in display. Also, I was surprised with the aditional materials like QR codes that would invite the visitor to reflect on the subject through some opened questions throughout the exhibition.

It is always amazing to see Brancusi!

Before moving, I was checking on Amsterdam’s cultural agenda and I discovered something very similar to “Lisbon Art Weekend” .

It is called “Amsterdam Art” and it is a platform that connects contemporary art institutions and artists through the city.

To be honest, if going to openings and trying to break into this world in Portugal is scary, here it’s even scarier, where I don’t know anyone in the field yet. Nevertheless, I attended to the opening of the season in 5th of September, when several galleries had exhibition openings at the same time and where I discovered some great new artists!

• Nature, Perception, and materiality in contemporary lens-based art - Inka & Niclas, Adam Jeppsen and Joost Vandebrug

  📍 Bildhalle Gallery

  ⌛️ 05.09 - 18.10.2025

• Sea Legs - Antonietta Peeters

  📍 Andriesse Galerie

  ⌛️ 06.09 - 18.10.2025

Another exhibitions:

• Lawan

  📍 Framer Framed

  ⌛️ 12.09 - 21.09.2025

---

MOVIES OF THE MONTH

THE NORTH

• Director: Bart Schrijver

  Genre: Drama

  Raking: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  Review: For me The North is a quiet exploration of masculinity, friendship, and emotional expression.

  The film follows two friends, Chris and Lluis, as they embark on a 600-kilometer hike through the Scottish Highlands. The physical journey becomes a backdrop for a much deeper emotional one: being together 24/7 forces them to confront not only each other but also hidden parts of themselves.

  What struck me most was the stillness of the film. The setting rarely changes: it’s just the two men, the vast landscapes, and their conversations. At times, this can feel monotonous, as there are no big plot twists or dramatic events to shake things up. But I think this is exactly what makes the movie compelling. The calmness draws us in, making us pay closer attention to every word, every gesture, and every silence between Chris and Lluis.

  Is is not a movie with a fast-paced action and I think it really invites the viewer to slow down and reflect on how men communicate and process emotions. Also, the cinematography, colors and shots are beautiful and that alone makes it worth watching.

• Woman in Gold

  Director: Nick Cassavetes

  Genre: Drama

  Raking: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

---

TEXTS OF THE MONTH

I have to be honest: I’m tired of reading, and that’s why I don’t even have any books to mention this month. Because of the master’s degree, I have a lot of literature to prepare every week before class, so everything I read is related to museology or looted art - which, don’t get me wrong, is really interesting.

Nevertheless, I could not help to mention a very good surprise of the month: the first issue of my friend Cecilia here on Substack. I can’t wait to read more and more of her beautiful expression of thoughts.

arquivo #1

Another text I must mention was part of my university reading list, and I found it particularly powerful and moving. It is called Speaking tongues - A Letter To The Third World Women Writers by Gloria E. Anzaldúa.

In this text, Anzaldúa encourages this women to use writing as a means of survival, to resist oppression and express their truths, even when the world tries to silence them.

It is a call to action and an embrace, and I found the language and the way she addresses the recipients so powerful and strong that, although it is not a subject I know much about, I had to include it.

---

PLACES OF THE MONTH

Think about this new section as a recommendation of places and activities if you’re coming to Amsterdam. If we think about places such as libraries, monuments, museums… we can consider it to be culture related. But what about natural sites, like parks, streets…? I don’t know if I can consider everything I am mentioning as a “cultural recommendation” but I find interesting how sites can inspire and be the starting point of so much of what we consume from other creators. I still need to explore a lot and I feel like a little ant here, but little by little, I believe I’ll gather a good list of places!

🌿 Appreciate the nature in Flevopark

🏛️ Spend a rainy afternoon at H-ART Museum

🪷 Go for a walk or run alongside Ringvaart

📚Study at OBA Oosterdok Public Library and go to the last floor for a view of the city

🦩 See the flamingos at Artis

😭 Cry at Athenaeum Boekhandel because you cannot afford to buy all the books

---

PODCAST OF THE MONTH

• Qualquer dia é muito tempo - Ep.10 - Batalha: Livros vs. Filmes c/ Ricardo Vargues

Although it is in Portuguese, I recommend everyone to check out the episode description, as you can find many interesting recommendations there, as I did.

A debate between a filmmaker and a book lover about cinema and books.