A Vida Portuguesa IntendenteBORDAL x BÉHEN

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LDW Highlights

“Behind the Curtain, Time Resides” is a collaborative project between BÉHEN and Bordal, specially conceived for the Lisbon Design Week and hosted at A Vida Portuguesa.

The installation unfolds as a series of large-scale curtains that breathe new life into antique motifs from Bordal’s historic archive of traditional Madeira embroidery. Tropical flora, such as anthuriums, lady’s slippers, and bird of paradise, emerge through a delicate combination of appliqué and master embroidery techniques, including ponto sombra (shadow stitch) and ponto corda.
These curtains act as a poetic threshold between the domestic interior and the vibrant island landscape, evoking the sensation of looking through a window in Madeira. Beyond the physical textiles, the experience is enriched by a short documentary directed by Matilde César. The film provides an intimate look at the creative process, documenting the hands that preserve this ancestral craft and the transformation of memory into tangible art. As light shifts throughout the day, the curtains become ephemeral shadow works. In this intersection of fabric, film, and light, the project explores the dialogue between heritage and modern perception, revealing the enduring soul of Madeira’s cultural identity.