PLMJ Foundation
Our history
This move, which marked a significant expansion of the firm, was celebrated with an art exhibition. The theme, Uma Visão sobre os Anos 80-90 (A Vision of the 80s-90s), served as a reflection on the recent past and a nod to the new millennium and the future ahead.
Today, more than 20 years later, the PLMJ Foundation collection is a reference for corporate art collections in Portugal and internationally. We say this with pride for the work that has been done, and the certainty that it will never be truly finished.
Our mission is to promote and disseminate Portuguese and international culture, with a particular focus on modern and contemporary art from Portuguese-speaking countries. More recently, the PLMJ Foundation has expanded its scope of activities to include initiatives beyond the visual arts. Its aim in doing so is to foster a space for intellectual reflection that is open to the entire community.
Over more than two decades, the collection has grown to represent more than 500 artists and 1400 works, spanning painting, photography, sculpture, installation and video.
All of these are linked by a common denominator: artists from Portuguese-speaking countries who were at the beginning of their careers when their works were acquired. This commitment to emerging talent, to the less obvious, and to what enriches the world remains a core principle of the Foundation, a hallmark and signature of everything we have done.
But our story goes beyond acquisitions. We have a library of artists' books and catalogues with a strong presence; we have actively supported dozens of artists' residencies and promoted initiatives that have proved particularly valuable in promoting Portuguese-language art.
International recognition of the inherent cultural value of the activities and objectives planned by the Foundation, particularly in the context of the Corporate Art Awards held in 2017 and 2018 in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Culture, LUISS Business School and the European Parliament.
The PLMJ Foundation is member and partner of WAF - World Art Foundations, IACCCA - International Association of Corporate Collections of Contemporary Art, EVPA - European Venture Philanthropy Association, DAFNE - Donors and Foundations Network in Europe, EFC - European Foundation Centre, and the International Directory of Corporate Art Collections.
In 2024, the PLMJ Foundation was awarded the "A" collection prize by ARCO in the "International Corporate Collection 2024" category. Maribel Lopez, Director of ARCO, presented the award to the PLMJ Foundation at a ceremony in Madrid, highlighting that "the PLMJ Foundation's contemporary art collection is characterised by being a non-profit corporate art collection that has supported more than 500 artists of different generations from Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries since its inception. Thanks to its continuous commitment for more than 20 years, the PLMJ Foundation has established itself as a cultural institution of reference in Portugal.
