Directarts International #01 by Direct Arts

CUSTOMIZING DREAMS Storytailors Store, Calçada do Ferragial 8, Chiado, Lisbon – Portugal www.storytailors.pt · store@storytailors.pt · +351 21 343 23 06

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DIRECTARTS editorial

FROM THE EDITOR

elcome to Directarts. If you are holding Directarts International in your hands, it means that you have an interest and a passion in the visual arts and have made the right choice among so many quality art publications available to you. You might have noticed that the magazine that you are holding is issue Nº1. After publishing the last eight issues nationally from Lisbon and after some serious consideration we decided that an even better way to bring the world the best of Portuguese art was to go global. We thought through our initial concept, revisited our editorial message, stayed true to our design to give our artists the best possible exposure...and we optimistically started at Nº 1 again. Directarts is a quarterly meeting place for the international art community hosted by a Portuguese perspective. If you are an established artist or an art student, if you are an artist who chooses paint as a medium or a computer as your main tool of expression, this publication is your new point of reference. Directarts will connect the fine artist with the applied artist. It will bring together the many disciplines which work to express their vision universally. It will inform and inspire. We hope we will test some conventions and boundaries. In our feature pages we publish portfolios that will include painting, sculpture and installations. Photography is a large part of our selections in our camera section. We will spotlight the established artists and give new talents their much needed share of exposure. Our interview section will probe the creative process of various artists from conception to creation and showcase artists that will soon make their mark internationally. Our unconditional passion for the arts shows on every page. We are artists in our own right so we feel we are reaching out to those who understand us, and for those who would like to understand us. We know you will enjoy Directarts, because we enjoy bringing it to you. We’ll keep talking… Carlos Duarte

COVER: Aharus (cropped) by Nadir Afonso, 1992. Acrylic on canvas 83cm x 131,5cm. Nadir is without question a respected leader of the Portuguese contemporary art movement. Our editorial team had the pleasure of spending some time with the master at his home in Cascais, a touristy coastal village, a 30-minute drive from Lisbon. In our feature article The Masters, page 8, we bring to you, with Nadir’s and his wife Laura’s kindness and generosity, insight into this artist’s amazing life.

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CONTENTS THE M A STERS 08 Nadir – Inside the Red Circle

SHOWCA SE 16 CPS – The importance of Printmaking 62 Tela Bags – Eco-Friendly Glamour

PORT FOLIO 20 David Oliveira – Is Wired 28 Duma Arantes – Bringing Dolls to Life

INTERVIEW 36 Valentim Quaresma – Chaos Inspires Me

EXHIBITIONS 50 Ivo Andrade – Nano Project 52 Maumaus – Center of Visual Contamination

CA MER A 54 Edgar Martins – Deconstructing Photography

A PPLIED A RTS

66 Liliana Guerreiro – Pieces of Simplicity 72 André Carrilho – A Caricature of the World

A RTICLE

46 Tolstoy – One more opinion on Art 80 Eduard DeBono – Lateral Thinking

NEW TA LEN TS 84 Zana 88 Telma Russo 92 Sara Lança

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DIRECTARTS credits Director Carlos Duarte carlosduarte@directartsonline.com

Editorial Director Raquel Vilhena raquelvilhena@directartsonline.com

Production Manager Graça Romano gromano@directartsonline.com

Features Editor Catarina Vilar catarinavilar@hotmail.com

Graphic Design Director Carla Tavares ct.editorialdesign@gmail.com

Translations Helga Lopes helgarlopes@gmail.com

Copy Editor Nicola Pulling nicpulling@yahoo.ca

Accounting Consultants: www.fsconsultores.com

editorial policy Directarts is an information medium aimed at a public linked to the arts, be they professionals in the field or merely interested in the arts. Directarts is a quarterly magazine guided by the ethical principles of rigour and editorial creativity, free of any ideological, political or economic influences. Directarts respects the constitutional rights and duties of freedom of expression and information. Directarts is committed to providing information of interest to the arts community as a whole, exploring an array of areas within the arts, meeting the expectations of a diverse audience. Directarts complies with the press law and the editorial policy guidelines defined by its management. Directarts applies journalistic ethical principles of accuracy and impartiality in order to respect all opinions and belief. Directarts is solely liable before its readers, in a rigorous and transparent relationship, free from political or private interests and/or influences. Directarts values each journalistic piece based exclusively on its artistic merits, and not its possible political, social or economic impact. Directarts follows ethical principles of journalistic rigour, impartiality, honesty and respect for all the artwork and artists it divulges.

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Printing: Rua Marquesa de Alorna, 12-A 2620-271 Ramada (Odivelas) – Portugal www.antoniocoelhodias.pt Endorsed by:

ERC: Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social Registration Nº 125893 Associação Portuguesa de Imprensa Legal Deposit Nº 312662/10 ISSN 2182-5491 Directarts is published quarterly by CMAD – Centro de Media Arte e Design, Lda. Rua D. Luís I, Nº6, 1200-151 Lisboa, Portugal www.directartsonline.com © The title and contents of this publication are registered and the property of Directarts magazine. All rights regarding the printed edition of Directarts and www.directartsonline.com are reserved. Reproduction of any part of Directarts and/or this associated web site or online material without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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MUSEO NACIONAL DE ARTES DECORATIVAS

AN EXHIBITION OF DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURES BY PEDRO FIGUEIREDO UNDER THE CURATORSHIP OF JOSÉ AND NUNO SACRAMENTO FORMAS DE COLIBRI NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DECORATIVE ARTS, HAVANA – CUBA MAY – JUNE 2012 Happening in simultaneous with the 11th HAVANA BIENNIAL

Rua Vasco da Gama 27A – R/C

3830-255 Ìlhavo - Portugal

Cell: 962 908 283 – Tel/Fax: 234 429 195 – E-mail: nunosacramento@nunosacramento.com.pt wwww.nunosacramento.com

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Nadir Afonso inside the red circle

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DIRECTARTS the masters

A graduate of architecture who has dedicated his life to painting, an advocate of mathematical theory, in pursuit of the perfect harmony of shapes, destroying paradigms and presenting new visions – meet Nadir Afonso. www.nadirafonso.com

ard work in pursuit of perfection, the intuitive nature of each composition, and the geometric principles of art are his driving force, the parameters he has always relied on and proudly defends. Nadir Afonso strives to reach harmonious balance, by intuitively placing on canvas the shapes nature kindly displays before him. It is an eternal work in progress – a life of continuous tweaking. “I am 91 years old and all my life I have worked to create a new understanding of art. I have no doubt that my concept is different from that of aesthetes. Usually they speak of perfection, but the essence of art is precision, never mentioned because it’s something difficult to define. I was the only person ever to work shapes while thinking about the process, raising them to a level of reason. I know that besides feeling, it is necessary to understand. There’s only one conclusion: art is governed by mathematical laws.” The story of Nadir, the painter, helps us understand how intuition is at the centre of it all. It starts precisely on the day Nadir enrolled in the Porto School of Fine Arts. He thought painting was the right choice, but after a short conversation with a staff member, he opted for architecture instead. “Painting won’t feed you. Enroll in architecture,” the staff member told the young and shy Nadir. So his path as a painter was diverted.

Art in motion In 1946 he was earning his income from architecture, but he studied painting at the School of Fine Arts in Paris after obtaining a scholarship from the French government. One day, he decided to knock on the door of a studio in Paris looking for work, and as fate would have it, began working with the well-respected architect Le Corbusier. “Shortly after – without reducing my salary – he allowed me to work only in the afternoons so I’d be free to paint in the mornings”, he recalls.

He later painted at the atelier of Fernand Léger and collaborated with the Greek architect Georges Candilis. In the early 50’s he went to Brazil working with the already-famous Oscar Niemeyer. He had many experiences with these great masters but maintained an independent critical eye. “Working with big names in architecture was interesting, but it didn’t change my viewpoint or how I worked.” But life as an architect had never been his calling. By age 18, having already dedicated much of his passion to his painting, and with an award-winning watercolour to his name, he realized a lasting love affair with the art of architecture wasn’t to be. The little boy, who at the age of four, had picked up a brush and painted a perfect red circle on the living room wall, was sure of his vocation. “The circle was so well drawn that my mother decided not to scold me.” In 1954 Nadir returned to Paris. It was here he discovered kinetic art, and he couldn’t resist studying it in detail, creating a series of works entitled Espacillimité, an attempt to recreate movement. By 1958, his work was displayed at the Salon des Nouvelles Réalités. “To add the concept of time to static shapes is fascinating. It was a very interesting period of my career,” he says. In the middle of the turbulent 60’s, Nadir returned to Porto and said goodbye to architecture for good. Having always considered himself socially awkward, he sought refuge in his studio in pursuit of perfect shapes, much like his instinctive exploration at age four. To feel art he says he needs isolation. “When I’m in the company of others, there is interference and I don’t feel things the same way, so I’ve always tried to be alone while painting.” The years he spent in architecture and not painting were not a waste, he says. “There is a fundamental difference between architecture and painting, if the first is led by function, the latter is led by laws of mathematics. I’ve never been an architect.”

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Nadir – a name of Persian origin, which in Hebrew means “rare” – knows that his intuition is ruled by reason, yet curiously, he states never to have considered himself rational. “Mimicking nature is a characteristic of the insensitive,” Nadir says. “It is absurd to state that painting is the language of the soul. A painter is merely a recipient of what nature has to offer, whose work he is to convey. It is a game of reflections. In most cases one’s work does not explain art itself, but rather the art world. To simplify is what matters, nothing more. Only those who work shapes can understand the mechanism of creation. Intuition is developed through hard work, nothing else.”

Refuting Einstein His life story has been captured on film and his artwork and books have received numerous awards, honours and distinctions. When Nadir was only 24, his painting “Ribeira” joined the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Lisbon. He also won the National Prize for Painting (1967), represented Portugal at the Biennale of São Paul (1969), the Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso prize (1969). Despite the pleasure that recognition may bring, he says, “I would be happy if one day I was known for discovering the laws that govern a work of art.” The Nadir Afonso Foundation is located between Chaves (a project by architect Siza Vieira), where he was born, and Boticas, his mother’s home town. Much of the painter’s body of work will be immortalized here. “In my

life I have never bothered with the promotion of my work, always fleeing from social engagements and now I have a foundation in my name. It’s strange, but of course, a great honour,” the artist says. Having lived in Porto, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, he now finds refuge in Cascais. His fascination with cities remains, having made their way into his paintings as well as landscapes and monuments from as early as his student days. His painting strokes soon took on an abstract appearance that led him on a journey of experimentation, through the iridescent period, baroque, pre-geometric, Egyptian, ogival, perspective, anthro-pomorphic, fractal, as well as organicism and geometric realism. The result of a life dedicated to art and its analysis. Like the great masters, his work is loved by some and strongly critiqued by others. Nadir Afonso prefers it this way, rather than see it go unrecognized, though he doesn’t think very highly of art critics. As for his relationship with the so-called art world, it’s clear; “I have always lived far from that, I believe that one side holds purity and the precision of art whilst the other, chaos and interests.” A man of great determination who views his forthright manner as a strength, possessing fierce conviction with fixed ideas that

OPPOSITE Dusseldorf 2003. Acrylic on canvas, 200 x 215 cm BELOW Procession in Venice 2002. Acrylic on canvas, 97 x 125 cm

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DIRECTARTS the masters

ABOVE Tehran 1998. Acrylic on canvas, 90 x 129.5 cm

ABOVE New York 2003. Acrylic on canvas, 94 x 138 cm

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ABOVE Beijing 2007. Acrylic on canvas, 152 x 218 cm

ABOVE Unknown City 2007. Acrylic on canvas, 174 x 247 cm

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DIRECTARTS the masters

have even led him to refute, in writing, the theory of relativity by Albert Einstein.

ABOVE The Races 2001. Acrylic on canvas, 97.5 x 11.9 cm RIGHT TOP Brothel 1998. Acrylic on canvas, 95x 34 cm RIGHT BOTTOM Doges 2006. Acrylic on canvas, 194 x 260 cm

In search of precision His drawing desk is still surrounded by activity. Several sketches, watercolours and manuscripts wait faithfully for their artist. Now, like always, he says there is something haphazard when it comes to the initial stages of approaching a blank canvas. “The first contact, the shapes that soon follow, it comes as an impulse, changing a lot from one piece to another. With no prior thought given to geometric shape or form, or a preference in colour, the most prevalent is white, because it is already on the canvas and intervenes naturally.” At 91, his body may be frail as the result of a life filled with shapes, strokes and discoveries, but the mind of Nadir Afonso never rests. The painter has an eternal passion for the precision of shapes. Looking at one of his paintings on the living room wall, he spots a stroke that doesn’t satisfy him. “Despite my age, I feel I see things better now than when I was younger. That’s why I feel compelled to rework the paintings from other periods of my life. When I look

and feel that the precision of shapes was not achieved, I need to retouch it, amend it, it’s as though my paintings are calling me.” It’s not unheard of for Nadir Afonso to shyly enter a gallery, detecting one of his paintings in need of a retouch, or asking those who have his work displayed in their homes if he can improve them. “What I’ve always attempted is harmony, morphometry. I feel as though I have found that precision in some of my paintings, achieving the ultimate, particularly with composition. Yet others... I will continue to want to retouch.”

“It is absurd to state that painting is language of the soul...” Nadir Afonso

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DIRECTARTS showcase

CPS

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRINTMAKING CPS is a space for dialogue among artists, countries, environments and techniques, committed to the democratization of art for over two decades. www.cps.pt www.facebook.com/centroportuguesdeserigrafia

rom Dalí to Cruzeiro Seixas, it’s impossible not to appreciate the diversity of the creations that line the walls of this gallery when you walk in. This is the Portuguese Centre of Serigraphy (CPS). Behind closed doors are the workshops, where all the screen printing, engraving and lithography happens. This is the world of skilled manual processes that undergo colour testing, transparencies and screen printing frames, wooden matrices, intaglio and stone lithography. Since 1985, CPS has made it their mission to cultivate, develop and promote graphic works in Portugal and abroad. They’ve produced countless serigraph, etching and lithography editions by over 450 artists, including Cruzeiro Seixas, David de Almeida, Sofia Areal, Erró, Allen Jones Harold Cohen and Antonio Segui. An artist is invited to create a specific project, and then follows the whole process (including refinements and changes), to achieve the desired result. CPS has a reputation for quality assurance and authenticity. It focuses on the importance of multiples but never sees them as copies, rather as originals. Each is numbered, scrutinized over, and signed by the artist. It all began with a serigraph edition by Manuel Cargaleiro and since then CPS has continued to promote the graphic works of contemporary artists. From Portuguese to foreign, established, and emerging talents, they all have their place in an institution intent on being democratic. It is thanks to CPS that many art lovers are building their own personal collections with work that would otherwise be unaffordable. As well as serigraphy, in 1990 CPS also began producing etchings and 11 years later its first lithography. Their printmaking studio now includes serigraphy, etchings, engraving, lithography and more recently, photography. From neo-realism and surrealism to pop art, neo-impressionism and contemporary abstract, the CPS collection continues to grow each year – as does its exhibitions, with works produced on-site or resulting from partnerships. Besides at its home galleries, it has sent exhibitions throughout Lisbon’s cosmopolitan locations, such as Belém Cultural Centre and the Twin Towers. Over the years artist residencies and scholarships have been

awarded at Estampa Fair in Madrid. A partnership with the Royal College of Art in London was also established in September 2010, which resulted in the exhibition and development of a series of prints. CPS gathered 31 Portuguese and English artists, both established and emerging, in Lisbon, in a residency that resulted in the production of works compiled in the book ATA. Among the many creations, Liz Collini’s screenprint “Neither one thing nor the other” was acquired by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. CPS is a space for dialogue among artists of all nationalities, techniques and artistic formats. This is the result of the artistic multiplicity that characterizes the commitment of CPS to the importance of printmaking.

RIGHT Harold Cohen, “Serial PS 070423 3”. Digital print sheet: 89,5 x 74 cm

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DIRECTARTS showcase

TOP LEFT Gabriel Garcia, “O meu Império fica num país

distante I” (My Empire is in a Distant Country I). Aquatint and etching, sheet: 83.5 x 65.5 cm

TOP RIGHT Errö, “Untitled”. Screenprint, sheet: 100 x 70 cm LEFT Cruzeiro Seixas,“Untitled”. Screenprint , sheet: 83.5 x 65.5 cm

TOP Sofia Areal, “Gosto de Ti” (I Like You). Screenprint

with luminiscent paint, sheet: 64 x 90 cm

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RIGHT David de Almeida, “Cadência” (Cadence). Screenprint, sheet: 56 x 76 cm BELOW Mónica de Miranda, “Untitled”. Screenprint on topographic map, sheet: 57 x 76 cm BELOW RIGHT António Segui, “Untitled”. Screenprint, sheet: 71 x 60 cm

BOTTOM RIGHT Allen Jones, “Untitled”. Screenprint, sheet: 70 x 50 cm

BOTTOM LEFT Cristina Ataíde, “Durante o Sol” (During the Sun). Screenprint, sheet: 70 x 50 cm

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David

Oliveira is wired

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DIRECTARTS por tfolio

The artist realized his place in the arts would be between two worlds; drawing and sculpture. Using wires to deconstruct figures, and to crystallize movements and expressions, creating an x-ray like vision that allows us to explore new dimensions.

avid Oliveira’s work transports you into a confusing universe. The brain is fooled. Are those strokes drawn in charcoal on canvas or paper? There’s shading, lines, colour but also an extra dimension which brings them to life. “The technique used is wiring, achieving a similar effect to that of drawing. The silicone thread is comparable with Chinese ink used in the visual arts; the oil is equivalent to thermoplastic, using just the wire, resembles charcoal, whereas galvanized wire is a lot like the use of a pen.” David does in fact draw, but with wire. The sculptor explores figures and how we perceive them. Wolves that almost bite, a raging bull, a man sitting on a couch (after a day’s work?), a gorilla with a soft coat, fluttering roosters, a school of fish swimming overhead or human organs, require little imagination to bring to life. A little girl shows off her ballet tutu, a man poses nude and an illuminated mother protects her son - creating life stories for each piece becomes addictive. He begins with an idea, looks at numerous images, and then, with no previous drawings, rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. “Before anything else I have to know how everything works. Then I add the first strokes, not directly onto paper but with the wire. I go through a time-consuming phase of experimentation, until I reach a point where I’ve achieved the desired outcome,” he says. And if it has to be done again and again, his fingers feel no pain. They’ve been cut and hardened over and over. “I bend the wire with the tips of my fingers and only use pliers to cut and bend very small details.” He says once a piece is completed, he doesn’t touch it, it only makes it worse. He refrains from large, abstract concepts; he likes to simplify as much as possible.

Visions of reality One of his projects explored bodily organs like the heart and lungs. It was developed for an exhibition at the Champalimaud Foundation, a private biomedical research foundation, and David is dedicating much of his time to the spinal column, with an insatiable curiosity for each bone that forms it. “When I draw an organ, I must understand its every layer. With the wire, I am able to depict what’s inside; the skin, bone and muscle. It’s this part of discovery and experimentation that brings me joy; understanding what’s behind everything, and building around it.”

Being a true admirer of movement, he hopes to be able to dedicate his attention and technique in the near future to the movement of cats, but “the ideal would be to enlarge them”. He won’t need to resort to images for inspiration. His cat Psique might be recruited as a life model. David would also like to explore a deeper theme using the same techniques. “I love Christian art, as well as the work of the saints and the metaphysical universe surrounding religious images, therefore I would like to propose to the Patriarch of Lisbon my own exhibition based on faith and images.” Curiously, the sculptor likes to draw on every surface the traditional way, with a pencil, pen and ink. And he covers everything - from his motorbike to his fridge, everything is personalized. David Oliveira, who is now 32, graduated from Lisbon’s College of Fine Arts in Sculpture. All he knew about wire then was that it supported ceramic structures. “When I realised that the uses for wire were endless, I dedicated myself solely to this technique. I especially like how sometimes the laws of gravity don’t apply,” he says. Over the last three years he has explored it in every possible way. He not only defies gravity, but the limits of imagination. “One of my objectives is to show that anything can be used as visual language, from a burnt wire to thermoplastic, which is melted plastic bags. It is neither the material nor the technique that makes the piece, but the creation and vision of each artist.” That attention to detail has helped his career flourish. He won 1st prize in 2009 for sculpture at Young Artists Aveiro, the Emerging Talent Award in Sculpture for the 9th edition of the D.Fernando II Painting and Sculpture Award, and was one of the winners in the Young Artists 2010 competition by the Portuguese Club of Arts and Ideas. That same year, designer Nuno Gama invited David to showcase his work in his Porto store. He took along an animal, a human figure, and two human skulls. “I was working on a window display with a lot of information so the figure had to have a greater presence than the other elements,” David said. What emerged was a sitting gorilla with two faces, which took on different attitudes depending on where you were standing.

photography: Inês Canas

davidmigueloliveira.blogspot.com

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photography: Inês Canas

PREVIOUS Women on Balcony 2010. Wire and iron ABOVE Detail BELOW Skulls 2011. Wire and silicon string

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DIRECTARTS por tfolio

The wire is in the mind of the ar tists, who guts it like a knife...

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OPPOSITE TOP Group 2011. Wire OPPOSITE BOTTOM Acolyte 2011. Wire ABOVE Detail LEFT Sternum 2011. Wire and thermoplastics

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ABOVE RIGHT Venule and arteriole 2011. Wire and silicon string

ABOVE LEFT Independent heart 2011. Wire and silicon string

RIGHT Lungs 2011

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Last February he took his work over the border showcasing three pieces at ARCO, International Modern Art Fair in Madrid. Slowly his own professional structure is also taking shape, and he’ll need a lot more wires.

Overwhelmed by wire A David Oliveira exhibition is like entering another dimension. Every piece is created with such detail, awakening all the senses. “I’ve been using folded wire to simulate similar lines to those of drawing a shadow. Seeking three-dimensionality, which shows very well at exhibitions as the spectator discovers the various points of view of the work, whilst making their way round the piece,” he said. “I work with a material in which what’s inside is air/space thus everything surrounding it interferes with the piece. When there is too much sensory information surrounding it, it ends up contaminating the work, so everything has to be very carefully considered, or the work becomes lost amongst the chaos.” If he could, he says he would always create on site, where the work is optimized for an exact space. He considers two places ideal for exhibiting his works: Paula Rego’s Casa das Histórias, in Cascais, and the Centre of Contemporary Art, Casa da Cerca in Almada (where he will be exhibiting work during the Triennial of Drawing in October.) “These are excellent places where the work takes on new dimensions,” he said. “It’s fantastic to participate in the Triennial, a specific event for drawing, where my sculptures make their presence felt. This way, I can prove that drawing doesn’t have to be two dimensional, but can also acquire a third dimension.” If brushes and paints can be kept in an orderly fashion, the same can’t be said for wires. David dedicates a whole room in his house to his work but the wires seem to multiply. The sculptor swears that it’s a material that propagates on its own. “I have a house filled with wires… I have even begun to take up the staircase of my apartment building. Luckily, my neighbour doesn’t mind and quite likes it. The fact that it’s lightweight makes it easily transportable.” Since he likes to test the durability, aging and oxidation of the material, some pieces rest on his balcony. “This way I can age certain parts of the work, and play with the process, which closely resembles that of the human and animal figure, which logically ages and eventually disappears. Everything has an ending.” It’s not strange at all to find a man sitting on his couch, a rooster crowing in the kitchen, or a spinal cord hanging from the staircase. David Oliveira is peacefully living in their company as his career finds its rightful place in the world. Consecration is just a wire away.

TOP Cortex 2011.

Wire and thermoplastics

BELOW Gorilla 2011. Wire

and iron

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DIRECTARTS por tfolio

Duma bringing dolls to life

The painter gradually lifts the veil on her canvases, keeping them mysterious. Collecting in each piece feminine elements, dressing and adorning them, sharing only certain aspects of each. www.dumaarte.com

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DIRECTARTS por tfolio

s it a femme fatale, a sweet and innocent girl, or perhaps an eternal romantic? It’s in fact a dollhouse, with its door left wide open by painter Duma, welcoming us all into a world of make believe. As a child, Duma spent countless hours in her bedroom drawing and painting, away from the outside world. One day she was given a box of oil paints. It was love at first sight. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a painter,” she says, being the only artist in the family. However, she didn’t think she could make a living at it, so Duma took an advertising course at IADE - Institute of Visual Arts Design and Marketing in Lisbon, thinking advertising would satisfy her creative side. Photography, film and art history courses developed her visual sense, but she still had an intense desire to paint. So she pursued studies in drawing and painting at the National Society of Fine Arts in Lisbon. After a few years working at jobs ranging from IT to advertising, Duma gave in to her lifelong passion.

Because, there is no love like the first Duma found herself starting from scratch. “I had no conections and in the beginning it was complicated but my desire to paint was always stronger.” It didn’t take long to realize that taking a chance on her childhood dream was the right choice, and in 1994 she had her first exhibition. Today, the thought of doing anything else is unfathomable. “My work is extremely rewarding. I feel a childlike pleasure with the birth of each piece, in some cases I find myself so excited I can’t even sleep. Sometimes the intensity is such that it becomes un-

comfortable. I hand myself over to creativity, a process that consumes me, but also feeds me.”

Entering a peep show Duma, 38, has an overwhelming desire to prove her talent to herself and others. Always curious, she’s experimented with different techniques over the years – from the abstract to collage – and she found her way. “It’s interesting that since I was a child, I’ve always liked to draw people, trying to reproduce much of what I saw and ended up returning to my roots. I’ve opted for a less conventional portrayal, painting only parts of female figures.” Her objective is not a portrait of someone specific, but rather a representation of the feminine universe. “One of the fundamental elements of my work is linked to the mysterious side, not only because each character is not revealed in its entirety but because I leave room for interpretation. I have ideas that define each painting, but don’t want to project these ideas on those who view my work.” Duma believes her art possesses more life when the viewer is given room to create a character and its story – even the backgrounds are neutral. Every person sees different things, “and that’s fascinating,” Duma says. “The artwork is complete according to the mind of each spectator.” And then there’s the framing. “All the canvasses have black bars, all stemming from the idea of being scenes from a movie, as though the image has been paused, resulting in these frames that give movement to the character.”

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PREVIOUS Lotus. Oil on canvas, 120 x 100 cm OPPOSITE LEFT Ladybug. Oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm OPPOSITE RIGHT The sign. Oil on canvas, 150 x 100 cm ABOVE L’Artiste Parisienne. Oil on canvas, 100 x 150 cm LEFT The red dot. Oil on canvas, 100 x 100 cm

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RIGHT Going to London. Oil on canvas, 80 x 80 cm BELOW Vintage Winter. Oil on canvas, 150 x 100 cm

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ABOVE Pumpkin Scarf. Oil on canvas, 120 x 100 cm LEFT Dream Collector. Oil on canvas, 100 x 100 cm

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DIRECTARTS por tfolio Duma believes artists are like sponges – absorbing their surroundings. She sees inspiration as, “a combination of who we are and the baggage we carry.” “We put everything we are into our work, that’s why each piece is unique, depending on who conceived it,” she says. “In each piece there’s a part of who created it.” Her inspiration comes from photography, graphic design and digital illustration. “I use gradients of shadow, similar to those of vector drawings, but in a traditional way, with brushes and paint,” she says. She also draws inspiration from everyday life – a conversation, a movie, a magazine photo, someone she walks by on the street or a gesture. When she can’t find what she’s after, or a suitable model, the solution isn’t out of reach. “My husband photographs me in a certain position, then I trace the photograph and make an outline.” By the time it reaches the canvas, everything has been thought out in detail, with a lengthy research process and a precise layout. “I have to decide everything very well in terms of anatomy, light and shadow, colour and proportions, followed by the time-consuming task of great technical precision that oil painting requires,” she says.

Creative path Duma’s dolls have already made their way from the canvas to the pages of a book. “Duma – Frame by Frame is my first book of paintings, the realisation of a lifelong dream,” she said. It showcases the artist’s work from 2006 to 2010. As a little girl she spent hours flicking through books of painters, fascinated by the images. “In Portugal you usually only find books on established artists and only of very few painters of my generation, so I went with something simple, based on images and an introduction by writer Valter Hugo Mãe.”

Duma has been involved in collective and solo exhibitions in Spain, England, Austria, France, Miami, New York and now works with a gallery in Singapore and Malaysia, Ode to Art Contemporary. In 2008, she took on the challenge of painting a Mercedes Smart car with her signature silhouettes. “My work has been purchased by people of all ages, but I feel there is greater acceptance by the younger generation. Perhaps this is related to the contemporary feel of the dolls”. One of the great influences for painting her dolls is fashion. “I choose the fabrics, the clothes, hairstyles, much like playing dress up as a child.” That led to her exhibition at Storytaylors shop/atelier in Lisbon, curated by Raquel Vilhena, the Editorial Director of Directarts. “Their fashion designs and creativity fit perfectly in my universe, it too comes from a world of fantasy,” Duma said. “It’s daring, sweet and contemporary but with many classic influences. I like these contrasts.” It gave her the chance to adorn the dolls in the dresses, lace, coats and accessories that made their debut on the catwalks. “The workmanship of the clothes is incredible, challenging me greatly, even on a technical level. It’s an absolute pleasure to be allowed to dress my dolls with their dresses!” The exhibit opens May 3rd and will resemble something straight out of a fairy tale. Later in 2012 Duma has another solo exhibition, in Obidos, at the gallery Other Things, with more work from a series that was presented at the Lisbon Art fair in 2011, entitled Virtual Victorian Girls, in which she has incorporated more classic elements into her paintings. Duma Arantes’ dolls create pleasure – a nostalgic pleasure from childhood. And as an artist, she says her exploration of the female universe is endless, with plenty still to explore. “It’s something I see as inexhaustible.”

RIGHT The girl from Japan. Oil on canvas, 150 x 100 cm

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DIRECTARTS interview

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photography: Gonzalo Bénard

Valentim

Quaresma chaos inspires me In the twenty years of his career, this artist has used experimentation and deconstruction to remove trivial objects from his surroundings, recreating them into works of art. He likes to diversify between sculptures, jewellery, installations and has become a source of reference in Portuguese jewellery design. www.valentimquaresma.com

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DIRECTARTS interview

hen fashion designer Ana Salazar invited him to create jewellery and fashion accessories he was still studying jewellery design. In 2008, ITS#7 (International Talents Supports) an accessory design competition in Trieste, Italy, awarded Valentim with Best Collection of the Year. It was his first installation, Work in Progress that landed him first prize.

I need to experiment with materials. Maybe the general public won’t notice, but I feel that my inspiration has been altered with this move, even in regards to the techniques I use, how I address themes ... A space greatly influences the way we create and I’m lucky to be able to come and go between the two.

A great launching pad for your career?

Absolutely, and now I’ve reached a turning point. When I was just at Beato, I was much more experimental in my creative process, in how I approached materials. When I came to Spazio, I started doing what I had learnt during my jewellery design course: soldering, sawing, molding. Previously these techniques were secondary, as the materials dictated what I did. At the moment I feel as though I have to return to the previous phase, I want to combine experimentation and technology, something I’ve been perfecting.

It was a great input to my career. Due to the fact that I began my career working with Ana Salazar, my creative process has always been very connected to the parameters of fashion. At the time, I developed projects that sometimes didn’t even get presented, deciding to call this one Work in Progress because that’s literally what it is. I saw the research I had done for years materialize and I feel I could continue to develop it. They’re four very distinct elements inside a machine that continue to give me ideas for other projects.

Dividing yourself between numerous ateliers, a warehouse in Beato and Spazio Dual at the Italian Motor Village. One of your spaces is chaotic and the other organised. In which do you prefer to work? I felt a big difference when I opened an atelier in Spazio Dual, I had always worked in giant warehouses. I have to admit that my creative universe works best in chaos; I don’t like to have everything very organized because it affects the creative flow. I like to look around and see what’s available. I go to the warehouse when I have to work on larger pieces; it’s an ideal space when

When looking at your pieces and collections do you feel that each piece has influenced your way of being at any given time?

Is experimentation crucial for you? Without a doubt. I’ve tried many different techniques and inspirations, from baroque to tribal, inserting them in different creative processes to see how it would work. I like to turn an ordinary material into something exquisite. At first glance a press-stud seems to only serve the function for which it was created, there’s nothing beautiful about it, but by applying them to a piece, I’m creating a beautiful and luxurious dimension, caused by the texture and achieved by the use of repetition of the same element . I now feel the need to get a little more experimental, even with materials. I don’t have as much time as I’d like to explore them, so 2012 will be used for that.

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DIRECTARTS interview

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Do you choose the materials you’re going to work with or do they impose on to you? In the beginning I would have an idea and then looked for the right materials to execute it. There came a time when I realised I could do the reverse as there are materials that give me ideas and bring relevant concepts. Now, the creative process happens both ways. It’s an enormous challenge to pick up an object and try to imagine how else it could work. It brings me great joy, especially when the original object becomes unrecognisable.

Once settled into Spazio Dual you developed the project Speed, in 2010. Previously having taken apart lots of objects, for example watches. What was entering the car world like?

can then be displayed in a gallery. The work process is the same but it makes sense to separate these two aspects of creation.

Do you always keep in mind the commercial and marketable aspect of a piece? I don’t allow myself to be dictated by that. When I create a piece that’s not as commercial, I try to refine it in order to make it more wearable, which doesn’t make it any easier or less creative. It doesn’t lose its worth, but I know my customer and know what works. In my case I can’t oversimplify, otherwise it doesn’t capture the attention of those who like my work.

You have points of sale around the world and opened an online store. Did you feel the need to broaden your market?

I confess that I’ve never had a fascination with cars, but the mechanical side interests me. I realised that since I was being exposed to all these influences, I could use them in my work. Speed is a chess set made from car parts in which each element represents a state of mind. I make a counterpoint here about what speed is and how it can be managed.

I believe this is the future and a way of reaching the world; I immediately felt that my pieces were far more accessible to other countries. My site is structured in a very artistic way, those that stop by, set foot into my creative world but may have difficulty understand which of the pieces can in fact be worn. By visiting the online store, you are able to see just the pieces; it’s the expository side.

During the creative process do you make the distinction between your fashion pieces and art pieces?

You’ve always collaborated with other artists from different fields. Do you enjoy the creative exchange?

I know that many people look at my work and wonder if it’s wearable as some pieces can go from a fashion collection and

I really enjoy it. I’m always touched when I conceive a piece that is then transported to the universe of a photographer. It’s

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DIRECTARTS interview

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exciting and a lot can be learnt by working this way. All my life I’ve worked in open studios shared with other artists and I find it far more constructive than working in isolation.

enabled me to visualise who I once was, it’s interesting to see the evolution of my work. At the end, the pieces had to interact with each other and I must admit, it was an interesting dialogue.

Valentim is an integral part of the book FUTURE FASHION – Innovative Materials and Technology, published by Mao Mao Publications, which addresses fashion of the future.

What do you feel the need to try now?

Do you feel as though you are innovating with your creations? Recognition is always good, but whether or not I’m a step ahead of the rest doesn’t concern me. There’s a tendency for people to devalue, but I believe that fashion greatly influences our lives, sometimes even more than art. Every six months there are collections and everything may seem more ephemeral, in art it lasts much longer, but fashion is far from futile.

Last year I had many of exhibitions, presentations, I travelled a lot. Now it will be quite the opposite, I’ll be spending more time in the workshop exploring different things and in two years I’ll present new pieces. I want to experiment with a variety of materials and will develop a project for the Antonio Prates Gallery. I usually make everything on a human scale and now I feel like making something of larger dimensions.

Does the fact that every six months you have to present a new collection keep the creative juices flowing? Absolutely. And many ideas not fully explored in one collection can be put to use in another, it’s an ongoing process. There are techniques I discovered 2 years ago that are still to be applied, and I will return to them, the process is never just six months.

Your 20 year career was celebrated with a retrospective exhibition in 2010. How did it feel looking back at your work? It was complex when it came to collecting all the pieces. Much has happened in 20 years and it was good to look back ... The pieces

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DIRECTARTS interview

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The Rebirth of a Legend In the north of Portugal, just one hour from Porto, nestled by an enchanting forest parkland, we discover the historical, emblematic and elegant Vidago Palace Hotel. With 70 rooms and suites, the Vidago Palace also offers a world class Spa enriched with the naturally flowing Vidago mineral waters and the wellness of the Clarins and Aromatherapy & Associates. Our 18 hole Golf course designed by Cameron & Powell provides some of the best scenery and some of the best golf in Europe. For events and business functions we cater to your every need with a variety of comfortable rooms and lounges. Vidago Palace is the perfect place to work and above all relax.

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Tolstoy

DIRECTARTS ar ticle entrevista

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One more opinion on ART This is the question that pops up every five minutes by academics in schools and by groups of friends sharing an espresso. “WHAT IS ART?” Now I’m not going to be so presumptuous as to come to an intellectual or simplistic conclusion of what art is. But I will try to add my thoughts on the matter with the help of Leo Tolstoy and continue to cultivate the argument for when your next opportunity for the discussion on what is art arises. edited by C arlos Duar te

could tell you that art obviously plays a large part in making our lives infinitely richer. Imagine, just for a minute, a world without art. You may think, “So what?” But consider the impact that the lack of aesthetics, graphics and design would have on your computer for example. Art stimulates different parts of our brains to make us laugh or incite us to riot, with a whole gamut of emotions in between. Art gives us a way to be creative and express ourselves. For some people, art is the entire reason they get out of bed in the morning. You could say “art is something that makes us more thoughtful and wellrounded human beings.” On the other hand, art is so integrated in our everyday lives we hardly even stop to think about it. Look at the seat where you are sitting on right now. Someone designed that. Look at all the advertisements around you, someone conceived and created them. Your shoes are art. Your coffee cup is art. What hangs in the Louvre is art. What is spray painted on any urban canvas is art. Functional design (when done well) is art. The concept and recurring experimentation in the abstract is in itself art. You might say “art is in a constant state of change, so nobody can really categorize what it is.” Could this be true? You might even say “art is so subjective, and means something different to every single person on earth.” This might be true. However, it would require the questioning and interpretation of 6.3 billion or so opinions to come to any objective conclusion. Does this mean that art is for the masses? Or maybe art is just elitist and solely for the intellectual and discriminating tastes.

Then again maybe art is as simple as… and may I quote the Canadian Professor of Media Philosophy Marshall McLuhan, “… art is anything you can get away with.” Here are some edited thoughts from Leo Tolstoy’s* for discussion. 1. In order correctly to define art, it is necessary, first of all, to cease to consider it as a means to pleasure and to consider it as one of the conditions of human life. Viewing it in this way we cannot fail to observe that art is one of the means of communication between man and man. 2. Every work of art causes the receiver to enter into a certain kind of relationship both with the artist who produced, or is producing, the art, and with all those who, simultaneously, previously, or subsequently, receive the same artistic impression. 3. Speech, transmitting the thoughts and experiences of people serves as a means of union among them, and art acts in a similar manner, that whereas by words a person transmits their thoughts to another, by means of art they transmit their feelings. 4. The feelings with which the artist infects others may be most varied: very strong or very weak, very important or very insignificant, very bad or very good, feelings of love and rapture, feelings of courage, self-devotion and submission to fate or to God, visions of voluptuousness and interpretations of happiness, humor or quietness. It is all art. 5. To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then, by means of movements, lines,

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DIRECTARTS ar ticle

colors, or forms so to transmit that feeling that others may experience the same feeling - this is the activity of art. 6. If a person is infected by the author’s condition of soul, if they feels this emotion and this union with others, then the object which has effected this is art; but if there be no such infection, if there be not this union with the author and with others who are moved by the same work - then it is not art. And not only is infection a sure sign of art, but the degree of infectiousness is also the sole measure of excellence in art.

7. And the degree of the infectiousness of art depends on three conditions: On the greater or lesser universality of the feeling transmitted; on the greater or lesser clearness with which the feeling is transmitted; on the sincerity of the artist. For example, on the greater or lesser force with which the artist themselves feels the emotion that they transmit. 8. The more universal the feeling transmitted the more strongly does it act on the receiver; the more universal the state of soul into which the artist is transferred, the more pleasure does the

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receiver obtain, and therefore the more readily and strongly does he or she join in it. 9. The clearness of expression assists infection because the receiver, who mingles in consciousness with the author, is the better satisfied and the more clearly the feeling is transmitted, which, as it seems to them, they have long known and felt, and for which they have only now found expression. 10. But most of all is the degree of infectiousness of art increased by the degree of sincerity in the artist. As soon as the spectator feels that the artist is infected by their own production, and creates for themselves, and not merely for others, this mental condition of the artist infects the receiver; and contrariwise, as soon as the spectator feels that the author is not creating their own satisfaction but is doing it for others, for the receiver, a resistance immediately springs up, and the most individuality and the cleverest technique not only fail to produce any infection but actually repel.

11. I have mentioned three conditions of contagiousness in art, but they may be all summed up into one, the last and most important, sincerity. The artist should be impelled by an inner need to express their genuine and true feelings. That condition includes the first; for if the artist is sincere they will express the feeling as they experienced it. And as each person is different from everyone else, his or her feeling will be individual for everyone else; and the more individual it is – the more the artist has drawn it from the depths of their nature – the more sympathetic and sincere will it be. And this same sincerity will impel the artist to find a clear expression of the feeling which they wish to transmit.

*Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), although best known for his literary works like War and Peace and Anna Karenina, also wrote various essays on art, history, and religion.

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DIRECTARTS exhibition

IVO ANDRADE NANO PROJECT Ivo Andrade’s residence at CENIMAT: Nano – drawings of Galaxies Approach the Science of Visual Arts ivoandrade_@hotmail.com

n 2010, Ivo Andrade (Trancoso, Portugal 1984) was one of the visual artists selected to take part in the Programme of Artistic Residences – Experimentation, Art, Science and Technology, promoted by the General Directory of arts and the Science Alive. According to this programme, which intends to approach experimental artistic practice and scientific research, Ivo Andrade has been in residence at CENIMAT (a Research Center of the Department of Science and Technology at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa) to develop the project “To challenge Limits – New Mappings of the Sight “ in coordination with the scientist Elvira Fortunato and the engineer Pedro Barquinha. However, his unique work goes on bearing fruits, being considered in 2012 as one of the ways of actualization among the outstanding approaches to arts, sciences and technologies. “To challenge Limits – New Mappings of the Sight” is a work which goes on about perception and limits of the human eye. Ivo Andrade intends to make evident a relationship of continuity between the eye and the technological devices which allow us to expand the optical capacity of the human being – namely through

termo-electrochromic materials (electrochromic plates, which show the invisible ways of looking) and the infinitesimal visual representation, or else, nano-drawings. Considering questions related to the amplification, extension, forms and phenomena existing in the “non visible” world, the artist scrutinizes the forms of design, painting and installation, in works that put the arts in touch with applied and experimental areas of scientific research. Centered in the conceptive notion of scale and his articulation of the notion of enlarged reality, Ivo Andrade’s micro-drawings and nano-drawings give place to the representation of special phenomena, as planets, galaxies and black holes through tecnics as deposition of thin films by the process of clean camera. Ivo Andrade is living and working both in Lisbon and Caldas da Rainha.

This project is supported by Secretaria do Estado da Cultura \ Direcção Geral das Artes (Portugal Cultural Secretary of State \ General Arts Directory).

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DIRECTARTS exhibition

MAUMAUS

CENTER OF VISUAL CONTAMINATION Associatin Maumaus – Center of Visual Contamination Invites Allen Sekula and Florian Hecker to the Artistic Residences in Lisbon www.maumaus.org

ounded in 1992, Maumaus is a cultural nonprofit organization that encourages the debate, nurtures apprentices, and heightens the awareness of contemporary art. It has become an important platform to bring Portuguese art to the world. Since its beginning, Maumaus regularly produces and showcases contemporary art exhibitions that take into consideration the space and context of the exhibition venue. The Maumaus School of Visual Arts complements its arts curriculum with practical programs and projects. Such as the teaching of production and curating of art expositions, and last year they began Maumaus Publishing and developed the exhibition space Lumiar Cité. While initiating the International Residency Program which will serve as a stimulus for practical discussion on contemporary art at an international level – much like the cities of Berlin and Stockholm – in cooperation with the DAAD – Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, K”untlerhaus

Bethanien, or the IASPIS – International Artists’ Studio Programs. Of special interest in the history of Maumaus, is its noteworthy participation in the 29th Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil (2010), while coordinating an ensemble of events comprising well-known artists, researchers, historians and technicians including Awam Amkpa, Jimmie Durham, René Green, Salah M. Hassan, Suely Rolnik, Manuela Ribeiro Sanches and Gertrud Sandqvist. For the 2012 Maumaus residency year, two renowned and established artists, Allen Sekula (USA) and Florian Hecker (Germany), have been invited to participate. The objective is to give the two artists the opportunity to reflect upon the work that each intends to develop in relation to social and political urban themes, and the nature and complexity of today’s metropolises, especially with the recent construction and lack of consolidating identity like the one in Lisbon (where we find Lumiar Cité). Another principal objective of this project

LEFT Tuomo Manninen, participants of the Independent Study Program Maumaus, c-print, 2005

ABOVE Allan Sekula, from Sugar Gang (Santos) 2010, sequence of 6, chromogenic print from Ship of Fools (1999/2010), courtesy of the artist

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ABOVE LEFT Maria Thereza Alves, On the Importance of Words, A Sacred Mountain (stolen) and the Morality of Nations, 2009, Lumiar Cité. Installation view ABOVE RIGHT Lasse Lau, Sound from the Hallways, 2011, Lumiar Cité. Installation view

BELOW Florian Hecker, 3 Channel Chronics (performance), Push & Pull, Mumok, Vienna, 12 October 2010. Processed performance still, courtesy of the artist, Sadie Coles HQ, London and Galerie Neu, Berlin

is to transform the Lumiar Cité into a space where Portuguese artists can meet international participants and can discuss and showcase their art. Other artists who have benefited from these residencies at Maumaus were Christoph Korn, Gabriel Abrantes, Harun Farocki, Judith Barry, Lone Haugaard Madsen, Maria Thereza Alves, Pedro Barateiro, Ramiro Guerreiro and Thomas Mulcaire, among many others.

Resident artist and exposition with Florian Hecker The artistic residence with Florian Hecker takes place in Lisbon during the summer of 2012, in collaboration with the GoetheInstitut. During his residency, Maumaus is going to organize an exhibition, a seminar, a conference and an artistic performance. Florian Hecker has a complex body of work which has lately gained international recognition in both experimental music and fine art. This artist develops installations and performances which articulate the elements of time, space, physical self- perception and the psychic, through electro-acoustic music and several other forms of expression.

Resident artist and exposition with Allan Sekula The artistic residence with Allan Sekula takes place during spring and autumn of 2012, followed by an exhibition held at Lumiar Cité at the end of 2012. During the time that Allan will be in Portugal, Maumaus will promote a series of seminars and a program of guided visits in the space of Lumiar Cité, lectures and discussions with the participants, during the months of November and December. This artistic residence is the result of a partnership between Maumaus and la Criée Centre d’art contemporain (France). It’s important to note that, in a previous collaboration with Allan Sekula, Maumaus produced “Titanic’s wake” (2003) a Portuguese version of this artist’s publication whose reflection and production often implies aspects related to the globalization and the impact on people’s lives.

The International Programme of residences implemented by Maumaus has the support of the Secretaria do Estado da Cultura \ Direcção Geral das Artes (Portugal Cultural Secretary of State\ General Arts Directory).

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Edgar

photography: Nuno Fox

DIRECTARTS camera

Martins deconstructing photography A young Portuguese conceptual artist that has left his mark on the world. He believes that an image is not worth more than a thousand words and strives to retain the time factor in his projects. www.edgarmartins.com

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et us first draw your awareness to this artist’s ambitions for the future. “To visit space and to produce a biographic body of work that looks inwards and uses photography in an introspective way. The latter does not come that easy to me. Furthermore, I hope one day to put my passion for sound, literature and photography to good use and produce a feature film.” Edgar Martins is not afraid to want it all, his determination projects onto the world a sense that all is possible, even space travel. His travels began at an early age and through art, he explores aspects that ultimately describe and reflect his life. He was born in Évora, Portugal 1977 but it was in Macau, China, (where he lived for 18 years) that he took his first steps professionally, publishing his first book of poetry and philosophical essays in 1996. “I was convinced I would become a writer and study literature or philosophy but decided I wanted to explore visual imagery. After extensive research I opted for photography”, says the artist. Written words remain his greatest inspiration, with several published books and essays to his name. It was his first exhibition at just 17 that sparked a deeper interest for the world of images and instilled disciplined, organizational skills that still accompany him to this very day. “These early experiences have taught me to create work habits, to be organ-

ised. In the world we live in, with work offers that can come from England but also the United States, Germany, China, Brazil...if there is no organisation, life becomes truly chaotic,” Edgar explains. “However, striving for balance and order is always a loosing game”

The role of the photographer Focused now primarily on visual imagery, Edgar Martins exchanged Macau for the UK, where he graduated from the University of the Arts with a BA (Hons) in Photography and an MA in Photography and Fine Art from the Royal College of Art in London. International recognition soon followed and work began to flow in from around the globe. His works have been exhibited extensively throughout Europe, America and Asia, challenging our preconceived notions of photography in a thought provoking manner. “One could argue my work highlights a point of resistance. Resistance to the world of flux and flow that we live in. To a world haunted by mobility, but a mobility that doesn’t register as speed but as intangibility and uncertainty. On the other hand my work has always sought to communicate ideas about the actual process of communication, about how difficult it is to communicate.”

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PREVIOUS Untitled, from the series Reluctant

Monoliths

OPPOSITE Caldeirão Dam – water intake tower for hydraulic circuit, from the series The Time Machine ABOVE Fratel Power Station – Machine Hall, from the series The Time Machine

LEFT Pocinho Power Station – equipment unloading dock, from the series The Time Machine

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ABOVE Alto Rabagão Power Station – Waiting Room, from the series The Time Machine

RIGHT Raiva power station – hydropower panel in the control room, from the series The Time Machine

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He likes to deconstruct the photographic process.”I’ve always regarded photography as an inadequate medium for communicating ideas; however, it is this precise anxiety with the medium that leads me in search of a new visual language and a new vocabulary from which I may extract my glossary of life. What motivates me, aren’t the possibilities of photography, but its inadequacies.” Edgar Martins surrendered to complete darkness with his project entitled “The Accidental Theorist”, photographed in Portugal. “Taking photos in the dark is a chancy business, never knowing what will come of it until you see the results. I comment on the world around me whilst also making decisions about my relationship with photography.” However, the process of resolving is always much more interesting than any resolution, which I never come to in any definitive sense. ”Paradoxically, the very language of photography, I find restrictive and inadequate, helps me channel my ideas.” As we familiarise ourselves with his work, it becomes evident that urbanism plays an important role. The photographer explains that this in part, “to do with my research and general interest in the subject-matter”, and in part, to do with my upbringing, having been born in Portugal, grown up in China and now living in the UK “I suffer from a common ‘postmodern’ condition, that of being and feeling uprooted.”

Under scrutiny In 2009, Edgar Martins was thrown into the eye of the storm, for his project, This is not a House, commissioned by the prestigious New York Times Magazine. He was asked to create a body of work that reflected on the US sub-prime mortgage crisis. The project has been touring Europe and the UK for the past 18 months and in 2012 will continue to make its way around the world reaching Dublin, Seoul and several cities in the USA. When the article hit the stands in the summer of 2009 it became the focus of a heated debate due to Martins’ decision to digitally reshape a select few images. He explains: “What was a riveting polemic about deception and misrepresentation for some, was to others the re-surfacing of a tiresome, age-old, ontological, epistemological and moral chasm between art and journalism. However, the public reaction to this article, in my view, is better understood and contextualised when, against the backdrop of uncertainty, ruin and bankruptcy, journalistic ethics and woes, one also considers the resonance and imagery of the ruined shelter throughout U.S. history.” This project served as a platform to explore new ways to reconceptualise a particularly contemporary phenomenon and landscape and the artist believes there was a misunderstanding concerning the values and rights associated with the creative process that led The New York Times Magazine, “to commission a photographic artist without making him fully aware of its own journalistic limits and boundaries”. The artist advocates that digitally altering the photo does not pose a problem, “when presented in a non‐indexical context. However, aside from illustration, fashion and the occasional portraiture-based project, how often are social / politically-oriented issues conceptualised and understood outside the scope of the canonical photo-documentary?”

ABOVE UP Nelly Close, from the series

A Metaphysical Survey of British Dwellings

ABOVE DOWN Old Street, from the series A Metaphysical Survey of British Dwellings

By this means he says that he uses photography as a way challenge ideas and perceptions. “It is true that the idea of objective truth may no longer hold in critical theory, but my work has never been about asserting artistic authorship. Photography is a medium built around conceptual tensions and so it offers me a means to bring together irresolvable contradictions.”

Temporal representations His attention to colour, composition and detail is always evident in his photographs. “Photography, for me, is not a shutter based art of time. ” I try to overcome this by slowing down time in my photographs. The way the objects are photographed has a very direct relationship with cinema. The long exposures allow me to interact with the camera almost as if it were a motion picture camera.” Ultimately he hopes that his images offer us an encounter with something as complex as suspended time.

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DIRECTARTS camera

2011 was another brimful year of solo and group exhibitions, published books, work…How does one find the time? “Organising seminars and talks, scheduling for the future and still finding the time to read, write, think, visit exhibitions, and generally have a life outside art - if that is at all plausible - is not an easy balance to strike. Needless to say one has to be somewhat disciplined with one’s time. But as the creative process doesn’t much care for deadlines or discipline, I always feel as though I am playing catch up.” This is where his organisational skills play a crucial role. “So long as the projects feed into the strategic planning of one another, then working on more than one body of work at a time isn’t restrictive or complex. There is a general overlapping of concerns and ideas in many of my works, though in each one I try to find a different visual approach, constantly challenging my photographic framework.” Edgar Martins has been considered by art critics as “one of the most engaging young artists, working with the medium of photography”, but what makes him distinctive as a photographer, what continues to captivate people from the world over? “I’m not sure. I suppose if I were being analytical, I would say that the work has a strong, direct visual appeal that is universal and accessible but also encompasses a strong thematic basis, often readdress-

ing historical themes and perspectives. This multi-layering is very engaging. Additionally, the way I portray my subject matter creates an unnerving or disorienting experience for the viewer, which makes him / her return to the work, over and over. “ Set on achieving his goals, he juggles an extremely busy schedule with the hope of finding the time to focus on three distinct works, “that range from a very personal project that deals with the death of a close friend, to a conceptual, biographic series inspired by one of Fernando Pessoa’s most thought provoking works, to a follow-up project to, The Time Machine. I’m looking to break away from my current practices and explore new ideas, processes and ways of appropriating the relevant subject- matter.” His work has been exhibited worldwide and is represented in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, National Media Museum, Bradford; Caloust Gulbenkian Foundation, Portugal; Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, USA and Foundation Carminac, France, amongst others. The artist’s first retrospective exhibition took place in 2010, at the Centre Culturel Calouste Gulbenkian (Paris) and in 2011 was selected to participate in the 54th Venice Biennale. Next Edgar Martins will be opening his inaugural exhibition at Cristina Guerra Contemporary Art in May 2012. He is inscribed in the premier league of the artistic universe.

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PREVIOUS Untitled, from the series The Accidental

Theorist

LEFT Untitled (Atlanta, Georgia), from the series This is not a House

ABOVE Untitled (Connecticut, New England), from the series This is not a House

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Tela Bags

DIRECTARTS showcase

eco-friendly glamour A Portuguese company is transforming old print advertising, newspapers and even kitchen flooring into cosmopolitan accessories. www.telabags.net www.telabagsnetshop.net

isbon celebrated Rock in Rio music festival for the first time in 2004 and the lead up to the highly-anticipated event was accompanied by a mammoth advertising campaign. Knowing that all these ad materials would eventually become waste, Tela Bags took on the challenge of reusing the event’s publicity pieces that were durable, shapeable and full of creative potential. The brand didn’t launch officially until 2006, when Tela Bags joined forces with museums, theatres, advertising departments and trade fairs to promote a new approach to fashion and draw awareness to the growing concerns regarding ecological, social, and economic sustainability. Once a network had been established, it was time to plan how they would go about gathering materials, the design process, manufacturing and how their first collections would be promoted. Six months later Tela Bags was awarded first prize for Best Collection at a leading trade fair in Paris, bringing international exposure to the Portuguese company. These original creations are now sold throughout Europe, including the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, Harrods of London, the National Portrait Gallery, the Picasso Museum in Malaga, the Museum of Art & Industry in Saint Etienne and MUDE – Museum of Design and Fashion in Lisbon. They can also be found in Japan and the US including the prestigious MoMA – The Museum of Modern Art in New York. Six years on, Tela Bags has developed into a successful business turning creative waste into art – the useless into the useful – and beautiful. To paraphrase Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry, on the principles of conservation but with a slight adaptation; at Tela Bags “nothing is lost; everything is transformed with a lot of creativity.” Normally, when print ads from an exhibition, theater or advertising campaign become obsolete they end up as landfill. Now, thanks to Tela Bags canvases made from PVC, flags, posters,

ABOVE Directarts Collection RIGHT Production Process

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DIRECTARTS showcase even kite surf sails are reborn as purses, handbags, wallets, briefcases and key rings. The process begins with the decontamination of the materials which are washed with biodegradable detergent, then they are ready for fabrication where the designer selects the patterns and colours and applies them to the different prototypes developed by Tela Bags. To achieve the final product they are then carefully cut and sewn by hand. There are several collections, each made of various, carefullychosen materials. There’s the Banner Collection made from recycled advertising posters. Pop uses leftover linoleum kitchen flooring, and the Winter Collection Drive consists of car upholstery. Last but not least the Press Collection is made from recycled newspapers and magazines which Tela Bags is enthusiastically collaborating with Directarts. Soon the pages of this magazine will also be a fashion design accessory. The Directarts pages will be selectively cut to keep its graphic look, glued and then sent to the factory where they will be laminated with a plastic coating, dye cut to fit the selected model prototypes, then the trimmings and handles are added and the final sewing. Quality control is the final step before distribution. Here we find the perfect creative collaboration of two Portuguese brands which have proven that with commitment and creativity all international borders are surpassed.

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Portugal is a land of wonderful landscapes and Monte do Sapeiro is no exception. Located at the most southwest coast of Europe, where the land meets the sea, where it is still possible to relax, meditate, get inspired, or simply laze around. The breathless beauty of deserted beaches as far as the eye can see, surrounded by the untouched natural beauty of the Southwest Alentejano Natural Park and the Vicentina Coast, are just a few reasons to visit us. With all the comforts of home Monte do Sapeiro is a place of tranquil charm and privacy.

www.montedosapeiro.com Vilarinha, Carrapateira 8670-238 Bordeira – Portugal Tel: +351 282 973 108 / Tlm: +351 96 287 55 31

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Liliana Guerreiro DIRECTARTS applied ar ts

pieces of simplicity She enjoys the deconstruction of techniques, the simplicity of forms and considers her pieces as if they were talismans. The jewellery designer has conquered the world finding the balance between traditional and modern jewels. www.lilianaguerreiro.com

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his is a story about an artist’s talent, determination, simplicity and willingness to take risks, finding a balance between the traditional and the contemporary. It starts in the north of Portugal but eventually finds the rest of the world. There’s passion to this designer who first made her name in the art world with the simplicity of a gold thread. During a visit to a traditional workshop in the north of Portugal, where filigree jewellery had been made for decades Liliana discovered a world of potential. “Initially, I didn’t care for it much. It was very elaborate and Baroque in style and I prefer simpler pieces. I love to simplify everything and every time I looked at filigree as a aesthetic, it didn’t arouse any interest. It was only after getting to know the essence of the technique and having worked the thread, that I realized it could be deconstructed.” The first time she visited the workshop of master jewellers Joaquim and Guilherme Rodrigues, she asked if she could have a strand of the gold thread. At home she was taken by curiosity and the desire to experiment. She created her first filigree piece that day – a necklace she called Lightness (Leveza). “I wanted to release filigree from its framework by using only thread and its textured grain.” ‘Leveza’ won Liliana Guerreiro first prize at the Lisbon Arts and Crafts Fair in 2004, sparking her admiration for filigree and its masters. “The craftsmanship of the whole process really interests me because I love working with my hands, it’s what relaxes me most in life.” The next year she won the International Filigree Competition for her necklace Filigrana Weave (Malha de Filigrana), which used a new mesh she invented and patented. She was beginning to understand this art form that starts with a simple golden thread as thin as a strand of hair.

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Liliana established a partnership with Joaquim and Guilherme Rodrigues seven years ago. The two men have dedicated five decades to mastering the art of the thread. It was their attention to detail that led her to see she could happily marry the traditional process with her contemporary approach. “I found a niche in the market for my pieces and I’ve had some luck due to the support of many people who helped me reach my goals.” She now draws much of her inspiration from the chaos that rules their workshop. “I’m currently focusing on this technique, which I’ve been exploring to the max. It has been very satisfying because I can explore details and patterns,” she says. “I feel I have a lot to learn, and the possibilities of this technique are far from exhausted.”

Liliana says something quite simple made all the difference to her professional journey. “I believe my creations were widely accepted due to their strong Portuguese roots and with much help from the two craftsmen. With their guidance, I was able to combine what I had learned at university with who I am as an artist, bringing it all together with the knowledge they’ve passed on to me. It’s great knowing that they like to experiment, so we often exchange ideas and techniques.”

Between paradise and chaos Everything for Liliana seems to evolve naturally, without much planning. She stamps her creations with that same organic fluidity that took her from discovering a love of filigree to the

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DIRECTARTS applied ar ts spread of her worldwide recognition. “Even if a piece starts off a little more elaborate, I end up simplifying it.” She views her jeweley as company, not merely adornments. She’ll wear a ring, bracelet or necklace for several days in order to feel their comfort and presence. Then she modifies it if necessary. Liliana Guerreiro’s work is now in many galleries, museums, and stores, from New York’s MoMa – the Museum of Modern Art, to Tokyo, to Space Duru in South Korea, among others in Germany, Hungary, Belgium and Vienna. She exudes an electrifying energy, much like her creativity. “One of my projects is called Places (Lugares) a derivative of always trying to find where I fit in. I’m always travelling from one place to another and struggle to determine from where I actually am.” Spending her life between the city and countryside. She had a studio in Porto but for the last nine years has chosen to surround herself with trees in Paredes de Coura, in the north of Portugal. Her creations are influenced by the idyllic landscape that surrounds her. Her studio is minimalist, mostly white with large round windows that fill the space with natural light. The serenity should inspire her, but that’s not what does it. “I only create when I’m overloaded with work, stressing to prepare for an event,” she says. “The night before I always get many ideas, I draw, and get to work. It’s at the eleventh hour that I get more creative.”

No strings attached

photography: Luís Calau; model: Júlia Morgado

She knew, ever since university, that she didn’t want to work for any company that would dictate what she would do. In 1999 she

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people have chosen to exclusively wear my jewellery; architects, designers, people in the arts community.” Many prefer silver but when it comes to picking her favourite material to work with, she opts for gold in its natural state, prior to being polished. Her most recent endeavor was an invitation that took her to Spain which now is demanding much of her attention. “I am developing a project for La Pedrera house in Barcelona, requiring specific pieces for an exhibition that will open around Easter.” Her excitement is obvious. “They saw one of my Art Nouveau brooches and liked it so much that they invited me to take part in their exhibition. In addition to this invitation, they proposed to sell my pieces throughout Barcelona at the Picasso Museum, Park Güell , Caixa Forum in Madrid, among others.” As well as this exciting venture, she also has other plans up her sleeve related to fashion that are right up there with her desire to conquer new territories. The sky is the limit for those who design jewellery as if it were poetry.

photography: Luís Calau; model: Júlia Morgado

completed her degree in Jewellery Design at the College of Arts and Design in Matosinhos. She began to draw various pieces in order to get feedback on her creations. From there it just snowballed. In 2004 she won the first of many prizes and began selling her pieces at the Serralves Museum in Porto. She spends a lot of time travelling, showcasing her work, participating in international fairs, and gaining recognition. “There I obtain contacts for stores, galleries and museums but I own a micro company consisting of just me, so it’s difficult to control all the details of running a business.” She says she didn’t have much competition in Portugal, “but by going to international fairs with extremely creative designers, I become more aware of what’s out there and it forces me to be even more creative, aiding me to create and satisfy my customers.” From initial sketches to contacting buyers, the entire process is a one-woman show. Liliana knows her clientele. “They are as much Portuguese as they are foreign. It’s interesting that some

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André Carrilho a caricature of the world In 2002 André Carrilho won the Gold Award for Illustrator’s Portfolio by the Society for News Design (USA), one of the most prestigious illustration awards in the world. That put the Lisbon artist on the map. www.andrecarrilho.com

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n the 19th century the Portuguese writer Eça de Queiroz penned. “Caricature is stronger than restrictions and prohibitions. Immortal is one of the facets of the diamond we call Truth.” Referring to the art that puts a not-so-flattering mirror up to society. And it is that art André Carrilho explores in the 21st century. He is an artist who draws to break boundaries. From an early age Carillho realised that being told no was nothing but a challenge. Though first recognized for his caricatures, he is someone who doesn’t limit himself to just one talent. He likes to explore all the possibilities of drawing and his stubbornness proves that great challenges must be lived. Illustrator, designer, cartoonist, animator and VJ, basically what he does is illustrate concepts, be they visual or audible. I just want to be given the freedom to try, I might not be great at everything but I love to explore.” Carillho was born in Lisbon and made his mark with a distinctive style. He has worked for such renowned publications as The Independent, the New York Times, the New Yorker, and Vanity Fair. He has had, or has been part of, exhibitions in Portugal, Spain, France, Brazil and the USA. Despite being in the limelight of the illustration world, André admits to being shy. He says his drawings are his voice projecting his thoughts to the world. Caricatures are what come most naturally to him, but he loves to explore the multidisciplinary nature of drawing. “I started with caricatures and was told to stick with it and not to get into illustration but I’m stubborn and decided to pursue illustration as well. The same happened with comic strips, though I haven’t gotten into it as much as I’d like, I was told once again not to bother, then I began to work in animation and got a good response so I’ve stopped listening to what people have to say. I’ve noticed people become really scared when faced with their own inertia. If they don’t do it, they like that others don’t do it either. But I’m stubborn!”

PREVIOUS Steve Jobs ABOVE Sean Penn, Edgar Allan Poe and Gaga & Beyonce RIGHT ABOVE Church Pedofilia RIGHT BELOW Islam Revolt

He enjoys changing what he does so much that change itself can be an obsession. He recalls how one day, he felt as though he was copying himself. “Hitchcock said that self-plagiarism is a genre, but that bores me as it limits experimentation and discovery. When we are hired to do what people know of us, we have to stick with it, so I try to make small variations, gradual increments and things start to evolve.” When he gets really bored, he moves into a different field and does something completely new, like animation or VJing, where he has total creative freedom. Video Jack is a project he created with musician and programmer Nuno Correia in 2004. They developed an image program that illustrates the sounds created by a DJ mixer. They’ve now demonstrated it at music and audiovisual festivals in Prague, New York, Finland and Estonia.

A drawing that opens doors André’s critical eye, so useful with illustrations and caricatures, is now embedded in his personality. As a child he would cut out drawings that attracted him and never left home without his notepad. He would draw caricatures of anyone who stood still long enough to be drawn. Without even realising it, he was practicing and improving an art form that would later become his profession. His career was on the rise until 2001, when there was a crisis and illustration budgets were cut. From the age of 20 he had wanted to work abroad and couldn’t understand why it wouldn’t be possible. So, he put together a portfolio and established a

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BELOW António Lobo Antunes RIGHT ABOVE Sun Rise Lisbon RIGHT BELOW American Debt

marketing strategy. “Now everything seems very logical but at the time, it didn’t seem very likely that I would find work in the United States.” Globalization came to fruition ten years ago and since then a lot has happened. He has received numerous awards but it was the Gold Award for Illustrator’s Portfolio by the Society for News Design that immediately sparked the industry’s interest. While his portfolio was being reviewed by the New York Times, it caught the eye of the art director of the British newspaper, The Independent. “Entering the international market through renowned publications made it all happen for me. In the United States I began working for the New York Times Book Review, which at the time was said to be the most coveted position by illustrators.” Since he was now in a prime position to showcase his work, word spread and the calls started coming in. He does work for The Independent to this day. He works with people who have an understanding of illustration. It’s better - even when his work is criticized. “They’ve seen a lot, and aren’t easily deceived. If we do something below standard, they notice right away. I may not always agree with them but I always learn something.” If they explain why they would like him to change something in his drawing and it makes sense, André doesn’t mind. He has received many awards - the World Press Cartoon award in 2008, the 2010 Excellence Award by the Society for News Design in its 32nd Edition for his caricature of Andy Murray and Roger Federer published in The Independent. A year later, an honourable mention in the World Press Cartoon for his Oilbama caricature, published in New York Magazine. André has also been invited to contribute to the book, Illustration Now! Portraits by Julius Wiedemann published by Taschen. Three of his caricatures made it into this book dedicated to illustration and portraits. The highlight being his 2009 illustration of the Portuguese writer António Lobo Antunes, published in the New Yorker.

When a crisis helps to inspire He maintains his creative freedom by receiving briefings from newspapers and magazines with one thing in mind. “There are always limitations we must be aware of, and I rarely try to stretch them. With experience comes a sense of what’s adequate or not for each client or job.” Since he works internationally, he doesn’t always know the people he works for personally. And in these economic times, with shrinking budgets, it can be tough. But André claims that tough times may actually benefit creativity. “I’m not claiming that it’s a good thing, I can’t say for example that the European crisis is something positive but the truth is that when it’s a serious matter, I feel a stronger desire to express my opinion and I think art makes more sense when it’s positioned in relation to a subject, when it can intervene.” Working as a freelancer, he can’t be indifferent to the “tough times” which inspire him to create. In Portugal he works exclusively for the Diário de Noticias newspaper. “I can’t distance myself from the freelancer’s way of thinking, never knowing what

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DIRECTARTS applied ar ts tomorrow might bring. Someone once said, if you’re known, you’re in fashion, and once you’re in fashion, you’re out of fashion.” However, it doesn’t keep him from taking risks or following new paths. “This year I’m trying to reduce my commercial workload to have more time for personal projects and for that you need determination.” André continues, “I would like to dedicate myself more to comic strips and create illustration books for children, or adults alike. I would also like to create iPad and iPhone apps,” he said, adding, “This year I’ll end up doing one of these, for sure”. From Obama to Churchill, from Britney Spears to Beethoven, he can’t get enough. His caricatures require him to go through endless photographs and videos studying his subject inside out. He believes that his way of thinking is far more important than the drawing itself. In his case, it all begins with a traditional drawing on paper and then he edits it digitally. “Digital tools are evolving in the direction of being able to do the same things as plastic materials and I’m not against drawing directly on the computer but the initial drawing is always done freehand.” While he was still in university he realized a whole new world was opening up when he saw the launch of 3D software. “I’ve always thought that animation and drawing using new technologies was the future. Technology has evolved so much, that great quality can be achieved with just a few people. The technological advances are democratizing media production.” Animation is one of his passions, and in 2008 he helped create Spam Cartoon, for the TV network SIC Noticías. “It was an idea

that João Paulo Coltrim and I had, to try to involve cartoons in the new technological media.” André believes one day the so-called newspaper will be a thing of the past - or it will at least have strong audiovisual content and his Spam Cartoon was a step towards that. He believes graphic design is a universe with plenty still left to explore. “One of my secret passions is to create fonts. It’s extremely tough work but I think it suits my temperament. Maybe one day I’ll seriously work towards it.” The only thing standing in his way, is that four-letter word we call TIME but we believe that one more goal for someone who’s taken on the world with his drawings is not out of reach.

BELOW Wikileaks

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DIRECTARTS ar ticle

EDWARD DE BONO lateral thinking

There is nothing more exciting... than thinking of a new idea. There is nothing more rewarding... than seeing a new idea work. There is nothing more useful... than a new idea that helps you meet a goal. edited by C arlos Duar te

Warning! Lateral Thinking will Lateral Thinking is: Seeking to solve problems by apparently illogical means. A process and willingness to look at things in a different way. A relatively new type of thinking that complements analytical and critical thinking, not yet part of our mainstream education. A fast, effective tool used to help individuals, companies and teams solve tough problems and create new ideas, new concepts, new processes and new services. A term that is used interchangeably with creativity. A way of thinking that seeks a solution to an intractable problem through unorthodox methods or elements that would normally be ignored by logical thinking. The thought process is divided into two methods. The first is called ‘vertical thinking’ that is, using the processes of logic, the traditional-historical method. The second is ‘lateral thinking’, which involves disrupting an apparent sequence and arriving at the solution from another angle. 80

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change the way you think...

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DIRECTARTS ar ticle

Six Thinking Hats Looking at a Decision from All Points of View

Dr. Edward de Bono is regarded as the leading international authority in the f ield of creative thinking, innovation, and the direct teaching of thinking as a skill. Born in Malta, Edward de Bono was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and has held faculty appointments at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, London and Harvard. He is an M.D. with a Ph.D. in psychology and physiology. His medical background in biological information systems inspired and enabled him not only to teach thinking but also to design thinking methods. 82

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he “Six Thinking Hats” is a powerful technique that helps you look at important decisions from a number of different perspectives. It helps you make better decisions by pushing you to move outside your habitual ways of thinking. As such, it helps you understand the full complexity of a decision, and spot issues and opportunities which you might otherwise not notice. Many successful people think from a very rational, positive viewpoint, part of the reason for their success. Often though, they may fail to look at problems from emotional, intuitive, creative or negative viewpoints. This can mean they underestimate resistance to change, don’t make creative leaps, and fail to make essential contingency plans. Similarly, pessimists may be excessively defensive, and people used to a very logical approach to problem solving may fail to engage their creativity or listen to their intuition. If you look at a problem using the Six Thinking Hats technique, then you’ll use all of these approaches to develop your best solution. Your decisions and plans will mix ambition, skill in execution, sensitivity, creativity and good contingency planning. This tool was created by Edward de Bono in his book “6 Thinking Hats”.

high-lights the weak points in a plan or course of action. It allows you to eliminate them, alter your approach, or prepare contingency plans to counter problems that arise.

Black Hat: When using the black hat, thinking helps to make your plans tougher and more resilient. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action. Black Hat thinking is one of the real benefits of this technique, as many successful people get so used to thinking positively, that often they cannot see problems in advance, leaving them under-prepared for difficulties.

Yellow Hat: The yellow hat helps you to think positively. It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it, and spot the opportunities that arise from it. Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult.

Green Hat: The Green Hat stands for creativity. This is where you can develop creative solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism of ideas. A whole range of creativity tools can help you here.

How to Use the Tool: To use Six Thinking Hats to improve the quality of your decisionmaking, look at the decision “wearing” each of the thinking hats in turn. Each “Thinking Hat” is a different style of thinking. These are explained below:

White Hat: With this thinking hat, you focus on the data available. Look at the information you have, and see what you can learn from it. Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try to fill them or take account of them. This is where you analyze past trends, and try to extrapolate from historical data. Red Hat: Wearing the red hat, you look at the decision using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion. Also try to think how other people will react emotionally, and try to understand the intuitive responses of people who do not fully know your reasoning.

Black Hat: When using black hat thinking, look at things pessimistically, cautiously and defensively. Try to see why ideas and approaches might not work. This is important because it

Blue Hat: The Blue Hat stands for process control. This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings. When running into difficulties because ideas are running dry, they may direct activity into Green Hat thinking. When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking, and so on. You can use Six Thinking Hats in meetings or on your own. In meetings, it has the benefit of defusing disagreements that may arise when people with different thinking styles discuss the same problem. It allows necessary emotion and skepticism to be brought into what would otherwise be purely rational decisions. It opens up the opportunity for creativity within decision making. It also helps, for example, persistently pessimistic people to be positive and creative. Plans developed using the “6 Thinking Hats” technique, are sounder and more resilient than would otherwise be the case. This technique may also help you to avoid mistakes, and spot good reasons not to follow a course of action, before you have committed to it.

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DIRECTARTS new talent

ZANA

SUSANA MORAIS Illustrator/Graphic designer (Lisbon) Age: 26 Contact: zana.campos.moraes@gmail.com Online: www.cargocollective.com/zmdesign www.behance.net/zmdesign www.vimeo.com/zmdesign

usana Moraes aka ZANA, is a Graphic Designer & Illustrator, born in Lisbon. She’s a graduate of Graphic Design at IADE (Institute of Visual Arts and Marketing) in Lisbon, where she also completed her Masters in Visual Production in 2007. After completed her internship at Ivity Brand-Corp, she completed a postgraduate course in Expressive Therapies (Art Therapy), at the ISPA and began a Degree in Dance, at the FMH – Faculty of Human Movement. Currently, she works as a freelancer, increasingly devoted to illustration.

ZANA has also taken part in a few competitions; winning the 1st international prize for creative stickers – PlageDesign France, in 2006, 2010 and 2nd place for the videoclip Monstro Mau (Bad Monster) – as Director. She has exhibited her work through digital media, such as Le Cool Magazine, and the project “Recycling for the Eye”, a proposal by GAU – Gallery of Urban Art, Torke and Lisbon City Council, using the streets as a canvas and ZANA had the opportunity of painting a used bottle bank.

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DIRECTARTS new talent

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DIRECTARTS new talent

Telma Russo

Conceptual & fashion Photography (Lisbon) Age: 25 Contact: gabaorusso@gmail.com Online: http://photographyfashionmaniac.blogspot.com

elma Russo’s interest and connection with the world of fashion led her to enroll in the styling course at Magestil. She then went to ETIC in Lisbon to study photography where Telma discovered the great passion of her life; then on to London and specializing in fashion photography at Central Saint Martins College of Art and

Design. Backstage at ModaLisboa, she captures the show always concerned to expose in her images the other side of the catwalk. She also shoots fashion editorials for magazines and undertakes several projects within the field of conceptual photography.

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DIRECTARTS new talent

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DIRECTARTS new talent

Sara Lança Graphic designer (Lisbon) Age: 20 Contact: sara.slanca@gmail.com Online: www.behance.net/saralanca

ara Lança took Graphic Design at EPI, where her interest for combining her newly acquired training to a social and sustainable field emerged early on. This desire grew even stronger during her work experience at the Food Bank against Hunger in Lisbon. She was offered a three month, merit based internship in Padua under the Leonardo da Vinci program, where she was able to sharpen her skills and nurture her passion for graphic design and illustration.

Her other passion is analogical creation, reflected in the recurring materials and textures of her work. She is currently attending 1st year of Social Design at IPA.

BELOW Corporate Identity Finisterra; Web site Finisterra; Finisterra Logo

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ABOVE Poster Out Festival

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DIRECTARTS new talent

ABOVE Calendar Klone LEFT Calendar Klone “February” detail

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ABOVE RIGHT Poster You Reflect Me ABOVE Poster Hold it Inside LEFT Ilustration for Klone Calendar

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DIRECTARTS look

oetic necessity is a platform open to the creative collaboration of various artists, which aims to create unique pieces that reflect on the collective imagination of today. This project is aimed at communicating with the general public and lies somewhere between art and design by transforming illustrations into objects. Madame Lobster is a project by graphic designer Sofia Dias, a collection of author objects that bare an unpretentious voice by combining contemporary materials and techniques with a message of sensitivity and at times irony. From plates painted with graffiti to classic wall cameos, her pieces reflect old memories revisited through graphic urban expression. Messages of love, life’s day to day dramas among other banalities make up an urban diary written in the first person.

eritage, the name chosen for two limited edition pieces created for Boca do Lobo by designer Marco Costa. The two elaborate and highly coveted creations come in the form of a sideboard and cabinet, entirely covered in hand painted tiles. Heritage Cabinet is a truly unique piece that pays homage to Portugal’s rich heritage, displaying the intricate artwork of highly skilled master artisans and craftsmen. A detailed body of hand painted tiles, much like an expertly curate art collection rests on a sturdy brass plinth and its doors open to reveal a gold lined interior, inspired by former convents, churches and national palaces. Heritage Sideboard is a multidimensional piece of layered tiles and a luxuriously adorned gold leaf interior. Each layer has its own story to tell, depicting centuries of different periods throughout Portuguese history. Heritage embodies the rebirth of Portuguese hand painted tiles and shares with the world, the story that is, was and is yet to come.

uma’s dolls are immortalised on canvas and now also in a book (Duma – Frame by Frame). It’s a book showcasing a selection of the artist’s oil paintings dated between 2006 and 2010. Duma’s first book of paintings is the realisation of a lifelong dream. “As a little girl I would spend countless hours flicking through books of painters, fascinated by the images. In Portugal you usually only find books on established artists and very few painters of my generation, so I went with something simple, based on images and an introduction by writer Valter Hugo Mãe.” This 128 pages, hardcover book, published by Field Communications, can be purchased in bookstores scattered throughout the country and online at www.duma.bigcartel.com or www.dumaarte.com

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orque is a Portuguese eco-design brand that designs high quality furniture and accessories using cork as its base material, focusing on eco-efficiency and sustainability. Corque is introducing a new concept “Designing Living Objects”– the design of exclusive and differentiated products, developed by a team of prestigious Portuguese designers to reveal cork’s unique sensorial properties and exceptional environmental characteristics to the world. Corque will be exhibiting their creations at Milan Design Week in April, New York Design Week in May and interior Lifestyle Tokyo in June.

ross – Cultural is a compilation of four projects dated 2007 – 2011 by the artist Pedro Valdez Cardoso. Each project is interrelated thematically and formally, focusing on issues concerning interculturality, Cultural imperialism and post-colonialism. This bilingual edition presents an extensive selection of images. An additional author’s edition of 50 limited copies – containing numbered, dated and signed poster prints – was also created and published by Assírio & Alvin, backed by the Secretaria do Estado da Cultura \ Direcção Geral das Artes (Portugal Cultural Secretary of State\ General Arts Directory). Can be purchased in bookstores scattered throughout the country and online at www.wook.pt

ork 2 is an eco-friendly iPad case created by “A Produkt”. It´s made from 100% natural leftover cork, formed into a uni-body shell for the iPad. It gives great protection and is ergonomically-designed to fit in your hand, just like an iPad. It has a very natural grip & feel, is lightweight, and offers easy access to all the buttons and ports. It can also be used as a tray to improve your reading, viewing or working positions. “The KorkTM is a fine blend of technology and nature.” and can be purchased at shop.aprodukt.com

ince the beginning of the eighties that Luso/Angolan international architect and artist Julio Quaresma has been exhibiting his works, rediscovering art and reinventing the system of values linked to the establishment. His work predominantly features clarity, logic, and order, and favors line over colour. Although there may not always be material similarities between the different projects, they are linked by recurring formal concerns and by the subject matter. Each of his works is marked with fragments of photographs, drawings, paintings, texts and other objects and inventions. Bringing light to innovative visual artists, the Spanish IVAM – Modern Arts Museum of Valencia – has secured a selection of Quaresma’s paintings for the Beijing exhibition in April, consisting of six architectural models, ten projects, along with six still lifes.

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Next Edition Summer 2012

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“Art is anything you can get away with.”

Marshall McLuhan

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