It is difficult to define a revolution, and the one on April 25th is even more so because it escaped the models that History describes. There are subtle realities that eluded the larger narratives, and time, slowly, has brought them to the surface. Filtered, decanted, the profound cau-ses of the rupture of 40 years of dictatorship appear as realities that seemed minor but, in fact, played an important role in the formation of a civic consciousness, of a critical citizenship that brought a country to the streets in search of freedom.

It is in this context that we propose to explore the role that the project /magazine Mundo da Canção (MC) had in the formation of so many 

adolescents and young adults, now septuagenarians or more advanced in time. MC is much more than a music magazine that included concerts, discussions, festivals because beyond this “material” component is an entire intangible heritage that acted on the most intangible dimensions of political and social action. On December 19, 1969, the first issue of O Mundo de Canção was released, founded by Avelino Tavares (deceased on September 24, 2023) with the cover dedicated to priest Francisco Fanhais. In the editorial, the intentions of the project are 

outlined, which proved to be polyphonic, multivariable, committed to the cause of freedom. 

The documentary exhibition is based on the collection of the Ephemera Archive – donated by Avelino Tavares – which includes thousands of documents that illustrate the journey of a project with multiple facets.

The aim of this exhibition is to reveal the place of the MC in the history of the April Revolution. It will also be an opportunity to pay tribute to Avelino Tavares, who accompanied the development of this project to tell the story of the MC but who unfortunately was no longer able to live it. Memory is a way of life and we are here to record and share it.

The EPHEMERA Archive 

This exhibition is further proof of the importance of the EPHEMERA Archive, which allows us to document realities that escape formal sources of historical records. In this time of celebration of the April Revolution, the EPHEMERA Archive has provided materials for over 50 initiatives in Portugal and abroad, which can be considered a true public service.

We reiterate the appeal not to discard collections, books, periodicals, manuscripts, pamphlets, photos, objects... If you participate in 

protests or other social events where public life is the subject, please collect promotional materials and deliver them to EPHEMERA.

In the Porto region, deliveries can be made at MIRA. On the EPHEMERA website – ephemerajpp.com – addresses of other regions where donations can be made are registered.

Curators: Manuela Matos Monteiro, João Lafuente 

Consultors: José Pacheco Pereira, Manuel Vitorino, Rita Maltez.

This Exhibition is part of the project (IN)visibilidades e Derivas and is supported by República Portuguesa/DGARTES