Sitters is the term used by Alice Neel to refer to the people who sat in front of her and whom she portrayed. In Sitters, the audience is invited to observe two figures who occupy the space whilst they think, speak and act, exploring their individualities and capturing each other’s bodies in dialogue with Alice Neel’s work. Constantly scrutinising one another, these characters project astonishment, melancholy and vulnerability, but also intimacy, ease and freedom. Inspired by the fascination with other people that guided Alice Neel’s work and life, the duo move through the space and explore how to represent themselves in conversation with their surroundings. And if the subjects that bring Neel’s work to life could move, how would they do so? If they could speak, shout or sing, what would they reveal? What do they carry with them in every pose as they ceaselessly challenge us with their gaze?

The exhibition Alice Neel. Beautifully Imperfect, on display at the Serralves Museum between July 2026 and January 2027, offers an in-depth exploration of the American artist’s work. In this context, choreographer Vera Mantero will present Sitters, co-created with Emily da Silva and with visual design and costumes by Sara Leme, between 17 and 20 September 2027.