ABSTRACT
The impulse to revise cultural tradition and insert it in a more plural definition of modernity, to construct a subjective perspective on reality and its present challenges by invoking a larger historical narrative favoured by the plasticity of figurative expression, provided definitive encouragement to the creative paths delineated by the Portuguese artists. The appeal of London in the 1960s and 1970s is evident in the grants awarded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, which was the main sponsor of Portuguese artists completing their degrees or conducting research abroad. For the Portuguese artists in general, the 1960s was a decade that brought a more positive outlook for their artistic careers. During the 1960s creativity came to determine stronger links and institutional partnerships between Portugal and Britain, thus compensating for the somewhat tense political relationship between the two countries during this period.
