This tote bag is part of the product line accompanying the Ricochets exhibition by Francis Alÿs at the Serralves Museum. The paintings featured in this exhibition are directly inspired by sketches and drawings from Alÿs’ notebooks, depicting the geopolitical contexts of the places he has visited.

The tote bag showcases a print of one of the artist’s paintings, which portrays two children playing in a refugee camp in Iraq.

Alÿs’ distinctive signature as a painter lies in his use of oil on canvas mounted on small solid wood panels, slightly larger than postcards. Created between 1990 and 2024, these intimate works bear the names of the cities Alÿs has traveled to, documenting scenes witnessed in public spaces.

The viewer’s attention is drawn to the figures – primarily children – at the center of the canvases, portrayed both in groups and alone. The lush landscapes and simplified urban compositions convey an apparent serenity, while global events unfold within these miniature scenes. They often reflect the resilience of everyday life in regions affected by conflict or social unrest. “What does it mean to make art while Nimrud and Palmyra are being destroyed?” writes the artist.