Seed Archive

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. Beyond the physical preservation of seeds, the 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.