“Art is What We Make It” Exhibition - Cushman & Wakefield Unites Real Estate, Art, and Solidarity

The exhibition kicks off today at the Palácio Sotto Mayor in Lisbon and will also be exhibited in two other assets managed by Cushman & Wakefield: Torre Oriente and Edifício Lumnia. The exhibition will run for a total of five weeks. 

Today marks the beginning of the “Art is What We Make It” exhibition in Lisbon, a project developed by Cushman & Wakefield (C&W), a global leader in real estate services. Authored by Madalena Freitas, an artist and collaborator of the company, the exhibition is open to the public and will be on display until February 9th at the Palácio Sotto Mayor. It will then move to Torre Oriente from February 12th to 23rd, and finally to the Lumnia building from February 26th to March 6th. All exhibited artworks are available for purchase, and the proceeds will be fully donated to pre-selected social solidarity associations. 

The concept behind this exhibition answers affirmatively to two internal questions posed within the consultancy: Why not leverage the skills and interests of our own employees? And what if we could combine art with the buildings we manage and create social impact within communities? After accepting the challenge, the artist spent a year exploring various areas of the city related to Cushman & Wakefield’s history. In each zone, she documented and captured the essence of the space through written accounts, drawings, videos, photographs, overheard conversations, music, ambient sounds, graffiti, and outdoor elements. The result is the collection of artworks currently on display. 

Madalena Freitas, aged 36, holds a degree in Painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Lisbon and a postgraduate degree in Graphic Design from the FLAG Academy. Prior to joining Cushman & Wakefield, she worked in communication agencies and freelanced for 5 years. She spent a year in Valencia, where she worked as a children’s monitor at the educational workshop of the IVAM Modern Art Museum and managed an art gallery in Chiado. In 2019, she assumed the role of Graphic Designer in the company’s Marketing team. 

“It is with immense pride that I share my vision of the city and its inhabitants, deconstructing the experiences lived in each area. The conversations captured, transposed onto paper, and the entire environmental context are now translated into these paintings, with the goal of helping and engaging the community. For me, this is the icing on the cake – that my paintings can serve those who need it most. Thank you to C&W for the challenge, the opportunity, and for valuing what truly matters: people,” says Madalena Freitas, Graphic Designer at Cushman & Wakefield. 

The project also prioritized sustainability, with the artist using leftover materials from her college days and eco-friendly water-based paints on paper. Additionally, old C&W posters and banners were repurposed for preliminary studies. 

According to Miguel Sena, Associate and Head of Marketing & Communications at Cushman & Wakefield Portugal: “This project reflects many of Cushman & Wakefield’s values: inclusion, collaboration, and the mission to create a positive impact in the communities where we operate. Bringing together these principles, harnessing the talents of our people, and providing a unique experience within the buildings we manage is truly exceptional.”