The Seed Archive is a project by Mónica de Miranda that seeks to record, preserve, and celebrate the agricultural varieties cultivated by african communities in the urban gardens in Lisbon — many of which are tied to practices of subsistence, adaptation, and resilience in contexts of social exclusion. The Seed Archive builds on the research conducted through the earlier project Post-Archive (2010), supported by FCT. It includes the development of a web platform that brings together documents, videos, audio recordings, and photographs created by the artist, both independently and in collaboration with other artists. The platform explores past and present urban realities in Lisbon, Luanda, Maputo, and Praia, and addresses themes of identity, memory, diaspora, and history in relation to migration, decolonisation, and African independence movements.
Beyond the physical preservation of seeds, the Seed Archive embodies the continuity of local knowledge systems, life practices, and relationships with the land passed down through generations. By fostering food sovereignty and collective knowledge sharing, it contributes to the construction of a living, community-rooted memory anchored in the territory and its lived experience.
In its physical (community gardens) and digital (online seed archive) forms, under the collective framework of Mónica de Miranda's larger project Jardins da Princesa, the seed archive will unfold between 2026 and 2028 through public programs, including workshops and assemblies, inviting reflection on the ecologies of the urban periphery. Through artistic creation grounded in collective research and experimentation, the seed archive and its public programming (community gardens) amplifies the voices and visibility of Afro-descendant communities. Its educational and artistic programs offer a platform for expression and agency. Viewing artistic and creative practice as a catalyst for social transformation, the project's educational dimension promotes the professional and creative development of young people and adults from marginalized areas.
At once an artistic, pedagogical, and research-based endeavor, the project contributes to the production of new knowledge on urban gardens as sites of affective ecology within Lisbon's Afro-descendant communities—bringing to light hidden histories and ancestral practices, such as African-origin agricultural traditions cultivated in informal gardens. The digital archive extends this process, offering a visual and conceptual interface through which these practices and knowledges may be experienced and shared.
Instead of offering solely scientific descriptions, a selection of the seeds in the archive include fictional stories written by contributing authors.
Seed Project
Artist, Artistic Direction
Mónica de Miranda
Technical Team and Production,
Administrative Management
Beatriz Neto
Eneida Tavares
Illustration
Andrea Paz
Mariana Jacinto
Inês Paixão
Mónica de Miranda
Beatriz Neto
Farmers
Isabel Andrade
Ricardina
Ieque Mendes
Maria Teresa
Simplício
Rosa Yanga
Dona Rosa
Dona Anastasia
Cecílio
Rosa Biai
Teresa (Cadi)
Margarida
Fernanda
Jah Monte
Dona Antónia
Domingo Borges
Domingo Fernandes
Marta
Garden Keeper
Ras
Writers
Yara Monteiro
Curatorship and Research
Luísa Santos / Institution(ing)s
Mónica de Miranda
Jardins da Princesa /Escultura
Production
Ana de Almeida
Marcela Canadas
Mário Florêncio
Sónia Lança
Consultancy, Design and
Sculpture Implementation
Paulo Palma
Sculpture Production
MDM
Support
Câmara Municipal do Seixal