Exhibition Curation
Exhibition Design
Book Design
Billboard Campaign
What does it take to distill three decades of a master photographer—capturing the icons of Portugal’s cultural landscape—into a living, breathing visual autobiography? How to turn 830 photo snippets into a full-scale exhibition, a book hot off the press, and a citywide billboard campaign—all in just 11 weeks?
It starts with dedication and a pinch of obsession. Add a commitment to joyful collaboration, deep listening, and a relentless yes to 'edit to amplify.' When ambition meets discipline, creative chaos finds its form. This is the project rodeo we were proud to ride.
Kenton’s camera doesn’t just capture faces; it peels back the pose to reveal what’s present underneath. Each portrait is more than an image—it’s a deeply human connection, a spark of complicity, and a tribute to the enduring spirit of Portugal.
The task was not simply to curate and design, but to channel the radical restraint of Kenton’s black-and-white signature into an engaging experience—a dialogue between storyteller and stage, and an ode to connection and memory. Designing this was an exercise in spatial and editorial storytelling, choreographing dialogue through contextual associations, formal references, shifts in scale, and a vivid, meandering arrangement.
The Exhibition
Our exhibition design approach embraced the unique features of the historic SNBA gallery: a single vast space, elliptical walls, and soaring ceilings. We kept the exhibition open and airy, letting images converse across sightlines, anchored by a central spine and three intimate rooms—each a blue-hued portal for suspended, close encounters.
The visitor’s journey meandered through Portugal’s creative constellation—actors, artists, football legends, politicians, musicians—faces and voices forming collective memory.
A special highlight: a floating pedestal bearing relics from Kenton’s creative universe. Cameras, Polaroids, contact sheets, old magazines—silent witnesses to decades of artistic pursuit—gave visitors a peek behind the process, into the moments before the moment.
The Book
If the exhibition was the beating heart, the book became its lasting soul—196 pages in a 5-color, large-format hardcover that transforms decades of striking black-and-white imagery into tactile narrative.
Every detail of the book’s design seeks to honor Kenton’s clarity and restraint. The layouts are minimal and confident; negative space grants each image room to resonate. Typography is purposeful, lending structure and rhythm without stealing focus. Every spread is a pause—inviting the eye to linger, echoing the purity and depth of Kenton’s editorial eye.
The result is a book that feels as carefully composed as the portraits it holds: bold in its simplicity and crafted to let the work speak fully for itself.
- Service
Creative Direction
Curation
Exhibition Design
Editorial Design
Poster & Media Campaign - With & For
Kenton Thatcher
Sociedade Nacional de Belas Artes – SNBA - Team
Photography: Kenton Thatcher
Creative Direction: Christiane Patić, Elvira Barriga
Curation: Elvira Barriga
Exhibition Design: Elvira Barriga, Nico Lima
Book Design: Christiane Patić, Sofia Lopes
Artprints: Fine Print
Book print: Grafica Maiadouro
Installation: SNBA