engraved soldiers’ names cover corten steel cylinder memorial in portugal
a corten steel cylinder records Arcozelo’s wartime history
From Darkness to Light by Meireles de Pinho is a commemorative sculpture in Arcozelo, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, dedicated to the young men from the area who were mobilized for the Colonial War in Africa between 1961 and 1974. Conceived as a device for memory, reflection, and freedom, the work explores the relationship between individual experiences and a shared historical past.
The sculpture takes the form of an eight-meter-high vertical cylinder made from weathered corten steel, rising directly from the ground. Its surface is inscribed with the names of the soldiers from Arcozelo who served in the war. Referencing the military identification tags, or dog tags, used by the army, the engraved names turn a system of military classification into a collective record. Perforated markings distinguish those who departed and returned, while a cross identifies those who died in combat.
all images ©Daniel Sorrentino
A reflective carnation crowns the corten steel cylinder
A stainless-steel carnation emerges from the top of the dark steel cylinder. As a symbol of Portugal’s Carnation Revolution and the end of the Colonial Wars, the flower introduces a contrasting material and visual element. The weathered, opaque surface of the corten steel meets the reflective brightness of stainless steel, establishing a material transition from darkness to light and from war to freedom.
The sculpture is closely connected to its surroundings. Its form rises from an open landscape whose subtle modeling evokes the sea crossed by thousands of young men sent to a distant continent. The terrain therefore becomes part of the monument, linking the physical act of departure with its historical meaning.
Structured around both diachronic and synchronic readings, From Darkness to Light by Meireles de Pinho Studio considers the succession of events through time alongside the coexistence of individual experiences within a shared context. Through its restrained geometry, engraved surface, contrasting metals, and relationship with the landscape, the work brings a local history into a broader reflection on conflict, loss, memory, and hope.
From Darkness to Light is a commemorative sculpture in Arcozelo, Portugal
the names of soldiers from Arcozelo are engraved across the cylinder’s surface
a stainless-steel carnation emerges from the top of the corten steel cylinder
the carnation references Portugal’s Carnation Revolution and the end of the Colonial Wars
reflective stainless steel contrasts with the opaque, weathered corten surface
a cross marks those who lost their lives in combat
the two metals establish a visual transition from darkness to light
the eight-meter-high corten steel cylinder rises directly from the ground
corten steel, stainless steel, engraved names, and landscape shape the work’s reflection on conflict and freedom
project info:
name: From Darkness to Light
artist: Meireles de Pinho
location: Arcozelo, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
photographer: Daniel Sorrentino
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. See more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: Christina Vergopoulou | designboom
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