The biennial Ideias Emergentes / Contextile proposed to carry out in 2025, in Covilhã and its

territory, cultural and artistic actions, through the Experimentar o Têxtil program, which focuses on working and interacting with the community, in a collaborative process, around the universe of textiles, sharing stories and knowledge, and which translate into Exhibitions, the result of artistic Residencies.

This Exhibition/installation is the result of the artistic residency of artist Cindy Steiler, who in a collaborative process interacted with the various communities of this exceptionally beautiful mountainous territory.

CINDY STEILER

The works presented emerged from my residency, Experimentar Têxtil, a journey through the textile traditions of Covilhã and its surrounding villages. Guided through the region’s rich wool heritage, I visited shepherds, the historic Burel factory, and the intimate workshop of Papa Blankets.

Immersed in these spaces, I documented moments and textures through photography—

fragments of landscapes, labor, and material culture. These images were then printed on fabric and framed in Burel, creating a dialogue between visual memory and tactile tradition.

This body of work reflects an exploration of place, process, and the enduring presence of wool in the region’s identity. It is both an archive and a tribute—one shaped by movement, encounter, and material storytelling.