The Portuguese prison photo project provides an insight into contemporary Portuguese prisons. From the largest and oldest prison, dating from the 1880s, to the most recent, which opened its doors in 2004, these eight prisons represent about a quarter of all places of detention in the country.

The photographs were captured in 2016/2017 and early 2020 by a Portuguese and a Swiss photographer, Luis Barbosa and Peter Schulthess. Their approaches translate into two completely different perspectives.
In this exhibition, the two photographers present their vision and views of the 8 prisons, with 28 large-format printed photographs.

In addition, each of these prisons is presented separately in large portfolios. These offer a closer look at the architecture, daily life and living conditions of the inmates and the staff environment. A brief presentation of the text of each prison helps to better decipher the photographs.
After the success of the first exhibition in Porto held in 2017, at the Portuguese Centre of Photography CPF, and the S.A.P. awarding Luís Barbosa the prize for the best photographic work 2017, and following its exhibition in Lisbon in 2019, at the Aljube Museum, a third exhibition will now take place, again in Lisbon, with a concept adapted to the new space, the Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo.