The exhibition is free entry and is open from 11am to 1pm and 3pm to 5pm at Casa André Pilarte in the centre of Tavira, whereby the public will have the opportunity to visit and reserve any of his original drawings. The exhibitions medium is pen and ink where you will find the artists drawings of churches in black and white.

Ove Martin Slyngstad is a Norwegian artist who was educated through drawing and art schools in Ålesund and decoration and advertising school in Oslo. He has had solo exhibitions in Oslo and his pen drawings are frequently purchased by art galleries in Norway. He is known for his evocative pencil drawings in black and white, often with themes from his hometown in Portugal. “Ove Martin Slyngstad settled in Tavira 19 years ago and stays here part of the year.” He told me that he “likes the town, the architecture and the people, referring to the place as the slow city.” The exhibition showcases his passion for drawing and includes original drawings of 27 churches, although two of them are slightly outside the council, having been inspired by “the many interesting details on the buildings”.

“Pens and ink in their various forms are thousands of years old. They have been used to write documents that transformed world history and to decorate later editions of the Bible. Over time, pens have become less messy and more portable, it is possible to practise with just a minimum of tools and materials. Ink is a versatile medium and can be used in many ways, including with a brush. However, the traditional method of application, as well as the most useful, is the pen. The original drawing is made with pen and ink, lithographic printed, numbered and signed by the artist.”