Modern azulejos by Paulo Arraiano

There are certain things synonymous with Portugal. Sardines, for one. Donkeys, for another. Salazar, catholicism, the navigators and wine might get a look in too but the graffiti is often overlooked. I've written before about how Lisbon in particular is a hotbed of the stuff. I recently stumbled across these traditional Portuguese azulejos (tiles) painted in a rather modern and unique fashion by Portuguese artist Paulo Arraiano for a ritual that took place in the Chapel of Nª Srª dos Remédios in Formosa beach. This old chapel on the Azores Islands is a place that people used for prayer and cure and even has a sacred fountain were people washed themselves in search of cure. I just love the way that the tiles hang in on the old walls next to more traditional work in a way that begs further scrutiny.