In my work I subconsciously focus on bringing attention to the issue of the precarious relationship between Man and Nature (and the interaction of Nature, Society and Technology). I get inspiration from my immediate everyday experience, in particular from the images and ideas that come from the global interface provided by the mass media and also from my physical contact with the elements (the textural experience). I work with acrylics, oil and collage in my paintings. If I had to define my work I would say it is a balance between action and contention, sourcing my energy from the power of improvisation, serendipity and conscious reasoning in classical terms. I use both thick and watery paint and sometimes with a restricted color range.
I get inspired when “something triggers something”. I’m fascinated with Internet as a global interface and research tool. And that brings me a lot of energy to my creativity. But also, I’m very much ground based. I like to feel things. I like the texture, the smell, I like colors. I like the sensations and the danger and all that. So those two things together they feed each other and inform my work. In the end, you’re trying to make that specific thing you’re doing, that work you’re working on, to become an identity in itself. Utopia or not you are trying to give the work, a life and autonomy to let it free. But to reach that perception it’s not easy. You have to work on yourself on your limits and refuse a lot of extra stuff that could compromise that uniqueness. That’s where I want to be, when the work becomes alive, it’s lively. I could leave it without me in control. You need some sort of energy, an input of timeless quality to achieve that.
I make all sorts of visual marks on the surface (spots, stains, lines and doodles, dirt) . If there is only one thing I could say that is my principle – that would be– raw spontaneity. Because it spreads for other things in live, that’s crucial for me. If I’m not true enough with spontaneity, I’m compromising other stuff I totally believe. It’s good to see traces of the attempts of reaching something. That’s part of the process of making and thinking. That’s part of life. You cannot forget the mistakes that you do. There’s no magic wipe. There is a process underlining my making. But it’s all about a particular moment that triggers the need to start the process of producing the work itself; there is no coherence in the way you start the work. You can make it happen by looking around you or it could be a drawing that you have done, something will trigger it. Ultimately it has to be a process of discovery and revelation. At the moment I like to work on big rough canvas, with a semi-figurative approach. I would say they appropriate texture and landscape in one image. It is not an explicit figurative work but you feel that space moving around that allusive to the everyday experience. There is a strong multi-layered visual reference in this work. There isn’t a specific form that you see and you say okay this is a shape of something with a certain color and so on. No, it’s more like an atmosphere kind of feeling with forms and shapes coming in and out and with lots of energy translated in the strokes.
Education
Master in Fine Arts, School of Art and Design, UEL, London..
BA Faculdade de Belas Artes, University of Lisbon.
Selected solo exhibitions
"The body and things" Fringe, DeptfordX, London
“Ruminações”. Drawing, Livraria Arquivo Gallery, Portugal
“Sopros”, Painting, Centro de Documentação, CMLisboa, Portugal
“Blind above”, Painting, Livraria Arquivo Gallery, Leiria, Portugal
“Bush, Platão e Eu”, Installation, Galeria Municipal de Fitares,Sintra, Portugal
“Por vezes tudo se ilumina”, Installation/ drawing, Casa dos Barcos, Portugal
“Bermas”, Painting, Livraria Arquivo Gallery, Portugal
“Bermas despertas”, Painting, Casa do Pelourinho Gallery, Óbidos, Portugal
“inMomento”, Installation, Century Gallery, London
Selected group exhibitions
Bow Open 2021, Nunnery gallery
New era part I, Gallery Art Number 23
Roy's People Art Fair, BargeHouse, London
The Apartment #10, BowArts, London
The other Art Fair-Bristol
Agora Gallery, New York
XV international Biennial of Cerveira, Portugal
“Beijing International Art Biennal China”
“Olympic Fine Arts 2008”, Beijing, China.
“Salon d`Automne”, Palace d`Auteile, Paris
“Effimero Meraviglioso” Primo Piano LivinGallery. Lecce, Italy
“Fuorigioco” Primo Piano LivinGallery. Lecce, Itália
Prémio Amadeu de Souza Cardoso, Amarante, Portugal
“Vile Roan”, Installation, Fridge Gallery, London
“Alter in Loco” – Installation, Padrão dos Descobrimentos,Belém
(Artist and Curator)
Awards
London International Creative Competition
Art Crowd Magazine
Collections
Internationally private collections and foundations in Portugal, UK, China
Olympic Fine Arts 2008, China
Universitária Editora
