[squatters]

This publication is the first volume of the catalogue which accompanied exhibition 'Squatters/Ocupações' held in Oporto and Rotterdam in 2001. In Oporto the concept of squatting, which is the departure point for the exhibition, does not mean the occupation of empty or abandoned buildings. Our intention is rather to localize these squattings in the minds and everyday habits of people who live in both cities, as well as those who visit them. The aim is thus to surprise people's minds and daily routines, presenting them with art in places where it normally does not appear such as a shopping centre, a post office, a court, a pool hall, a city roundabout, etc. Despite most artists presenting at the Serralves House, the projects are also to be found in places spread throughout the city. One of the basic aims of this event is to establish routes in the city which, through contemporary art, allow the city itself to be rediscovered.