Home

Digital companion to the exhibition
Movimento Perpétuo: The Portuguese Diaspora in Canada

An initiative of the Embassy of Portugal in Canada to commemorate the 70th anniversaries of Portugal-Canada diplomatic relations in 2022 and the beginning of Portuguese mass migration to Canada in 2023, sponsored by Camões  – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua and the Labourers’ International Union of North America’s Local 183.

Project Manager, Curator, Lead Researcher, Graphic and Web Designer, Digital Content Developer, and Copy Writer:
Gilberto Fernandes (Tempo Historical Consulting)
Assistant Curator: Rui Pimenta
Research Assistants and Copy Writers:
Alice Franco, Amanda Dinally, Ester-Judit Flores, Madeline Ball, Rui Pascoal
Graphic Designer: Tanaaz Bamji

This exhibition was commissioned by the Embassy of Portugal in Canada for Tempo Historical Consulting to commemorate the 70th anniversaries of Portugal-Canada diplomatic relations in 2022 and the beginning of Portuguese mass migration to Canada in 2023. The individuals and organizations featured in it were selected from among 100 short documentaries that Gilberto Fernandes co-produced in 2015-17 for the Rádio Televisão Portuguesa Internacional’s television show Hora dos Portugueses. Most of the artifacts used, along with some photos and videos, were crowdsourced from seventy of these individuals and organizations. Some participants were interviewed further for the purpose of producing narrative audio clips to accompany each of their items. Other photos, historical records, videos, and artifacts were provided by multiple private collections and public archives. The technical contributions offered by the Digital Scholarship Infrastructure, York University Libraries, particularly by Kris Joseph and Anna St. Onge, were also immensely valuable.

This exhibition would not have been possible without the support of the Embassy of Portugal in Canada, particularly Ambassadors João da Câmara and António Leão Rocha, the Deputy Head of Mission João Paulo Costa, and the Cultural Attaché Rita Sousa Tavares; the Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua; the Labourers’ International Union of North America Local 183; and the office of the former Deputy Mayor of Toronto Ana Bailão.

People & Artifacts

Press the button below to learn about the histories of the individuals and organizations featured in our exhibition.

Press the button below for our collection of artifacts and records from private individuals and organizations.

Times & Places

Press the button below to view our interactive timeline of Portuguese-Canadian, Portuguese, and Canadian history (1952-2022).

Press the button below to view our virtual tours of locations associated with the individuals and organizations featured in our exhibition.

Archives & Data

Press the button below for a selection of videos produced by community members, students, and professional filmmakers.

Press the button below for a selection of historical records from various archives and personal collections.

Press the button below for infographics on various statistics related to the Portuguese diaspora in Canada.

News

The Artwork

Emanuel Pavão Row HousesTape & resin on wood panel2016 First SnowfallSwarovski crystals & beads2023 The influence of my Luso-Canadian upbringing is something that is mostly subconscious but prevalent in my artwork.  In the crystallized art piece titled First Snowfall, this influence can be detected in the use of material, the choice of subject matter and a …

Open Reception and Art Performance, Sept. 17

We are inviting everyone to visit our exhibition at Toronto Metro Hall’s rotunda and attend a live performance of Weaving by Moonlight, by artists Moon Palmar and Teresa Ascenção, on September 17, starting at 3pm. Entrance is free. All are welcome. Weaving by Moonlight is a Fado (Portuguese Blues) and Punk inspired video and lacework …