Belgian artist Jamz Jamezon presents 'Before Common Era' at Espaço JALI in Silves, Portugal, running until May 24. The exhibition features canvas paintings, wooden sculptures from salvaged materials, and reclaimed cardboard works, alongside a film documenting his murals. Jamezon, who began his career in graffiti in Ghent, now creates large-scale public murals in hospitals, schools, and care centers, aiming to bring calm and fantasy to intense environments. The venue, a former cork factory transformed by Marion Buz into a cultural center, also hosts a cork oak tree mural painted by the artist in its garden.
This exhibition matters because it highlights the growing role of repurposed industrial spaces like Espaço JALI in fostering contemporary art in Portugal's Algarve region. Jamezon's practice bridges street art, social engagement, and environmental themes—using discarded materials to critique overconsumption while creating immersive, futuristic imagery. The show also underscores the artist's family creative network, with his mother Annie M.A. Daenens and wife Sarah Van Dale contributing to the local arts scene, reflecting a broader trend of community-oriented, multi-generational art making.