iMAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and TechnologyBelém
VENUS – Valentino Garavani through the eyes of Joana Vasconcelos
Joana Vasconcelos sets her monumental textile sculptures, including Valkyrie Venus and Marilyn, in dialogue with over 30 Valentino haute couture and ready-to-wear creations.
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Hundreds of household steam irons have been turned into mechanical flowers and set beside haute couture. Joana Vasconcelos built the show on what she calls the paradox between domestic and luxury: the woman at home, and the woman who becomes a goddess in a Valentino dress.
Valentino chose her himself and opened his archive. She laid out Galleries 1 and 2 around Valkyrie Venus, a 13-metre textile sculpture, with feather dusters, heels made from over 300 steel pots and lids, and a flower labyrinth of gowns. She skipped the famous red for other fabrics and embroideries, with one red dress included. Your Sunday-night ironing pile has never looked this good.
Entry is €16, or €12 for residents in Portugal, and the museum is closed on Tuesdays. The dresses that can't be ironed get their own Ironing Room. A PDF exhibition guide is available on MAAT's site.
Editor's pick
Hundreds of household steam irons bloom as mechanical flowers beside Valentino couture, under a 13-metre textile Valkyrie. Valentino chose Joana Vasconcelos himself and opened his archive; she sets the woman ironing at home against the woman in the gown.
Look for
Valkyrie Venus
A 13-metre textile sculpture from 2025 whose fabrics, crochet and embroidery echo details in the surrounding Valentino gowns.
Marilyn
Enormous high heels assembled from more than 300 stainless-steel pots and lids.
Full Steam Ahead
Hundreds of domestic steam irons arranged as mechanical flowers near the couture dresses.
Garden of Eden
A labyrinth of artificial flowers in which Valentino gowns are displayed.
Red Independent Heart #3
A rotating Viana heart made from nearly 4,000 pieces of plastic cutlery, with Amália Rodrigues's voice playing alongside.
Good for
- First-Timers
- Out-Of-Town Guests
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Image credits
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- VENUS – Valentino Garavani through the eyes of Joana Vasconcelos© 2026 FVG Services © 2026 Soqquadro
- Mostra Espanha 2026: Guest Works by Maruja MalloColección Centro de Arte Fundación María José Jove / VEGAP
- Paradise, Today.Courtesy of MAC/CCB – Museum of Contemporary Art and Architecture Centre
- Ângela Ferreira: Here I StandLaurent Lecat
- MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and TechnologyStefan Bethke / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museu Nacional dos CochesBosc d'Anjou / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
- MAC/CCB – Museum of Contemporary Art and Architecture CentreHerbert wie, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museu Nacional de ArqueologiaJose Luis Filpo Cabana, CC BY 3.0
- Museu de MarinhaNan Palmero, CC BY 2.0