ARTPARIS 25: Art Paris 2025 Art Fair

  • “Narrativas Resilientes: Memória, Identidade e a Hibridização das Formas”, reúne três artistas portugueses—Ana Malta, Manuela Pimentel e António Faria—numa exploração profunda das interseções entre identidade, património cultural e experimentação artística. Assentes em narrativas tanto individuais como colectivas, as suas práticas reflectem o poder transformador da memória e da tradição na construção da arte contemporânea.

     

    Ana Malta (apresentada pela primeira vez na Art Paris) investiga a relação íntima entre o corpo, a memória e os espaços domésticos. As suas composições de grande riqueza matérica fundem cores vibrantes com formas tridimensionais, convertendo o corpo num arquivo vivo de histórias e emoções. Ao transitar entre o pessoal e o universal, o seu trabalho sublima a experiência quotidiana, transformando-a num símbolo de identidade e pertença.

     

    Manuela Pimentel reinterpreta o azulejo tradicional português como um veículo de memória, história e sustentabilidade cultural. As suas pinturas escultóricas recuperam narrativas esquecidas, combinando o legado erudito da estética barroca com os códigos visuais da arte urbana. O recurso a materiais reaproveitados sublinha a impermanência e a consciência ecológica, criando um diálogo intenso entre o património e a contemporaneidade.

     

    António Faria (também apresentado pela primeira vez na Art Paris) oferece uma visão melancólica e impactante da fragilidade da natureza através do desenho monocromático e da instalação multimédia. As suas obras evocam um mundo em decomposição, dramatizando o jogo entre memória, mortalidade e a ausência humana. Integrando frequentemente o desenho tradicional com vídeo, som e luz, Faria constrói ambientes imersivos que transcendem os limites do meio, convidando a uma introspecção profunda.

     

    Em conjunto, estes artistas respondem ao tema da Art Paris 2025, "Out of Bounds", rompendo fronteiras geográficas, culturais e conceptuais. As suas obras celebram a hibridização como estratégia de sobrevivência artística e cultural, onde a convergência de práticas e tradições distintas se afirma como fonte de força e inovação. Num mundo marcado por identidades em mutação e por uma crescente incerteza ecológica, Narrativas Resilientes sublinha o papel fundamental da arte na criação de ligações entre passado e presente, individual e colectivo, tradição e transformação. Cada obra deste projecto encarna um diálogo entre memória e reinvenção, oferecendo ao público uma reflexão instigante sobre a capacidade da arte para transcender fronteiras e abordar questões universais de pertença, resiliência e renovação.

  • "Resilient Narratives: Memory, Identity, and the Hybridity of Forms"

    “Narrativas Resilientes: Memória, Identidade e a Hibridização das Formas”, reúne três artistas portugueses—Ana Malta, Manuela Pimentel e António Faria—numa exploração profunda das interseções entre identidade, património cultural e experimentação artística. Assentes em narrativas tanto individuais como colectivas, as suas práticas reflectem o poder transformador da memória e da tradição na construção da arte contemporânea.

     

    Ana Malta (apresentada pela primeira vez na Art Paris) investiga a relação íntima entre o corpo, a memória e os espaços domésticos. As suas composições de grande riqueza matérica fundem cores vibrantes com formas tridimensionais, convertendo o corpo num arquivo vivo de histórias e emoções. Ao transitar entre o pessoal e o universal, o seu trabalho sublima a experiência quotidiana, transformando-a num símbolo de identidade e pertença.

     

    Manuela Pimentel reinterpreta o azulejo tradicional português como um veículo de memória, história e sustentabilidade cultural. As suas pinturas escultóricas recuperam narrativas esquecidas, combinando o legado erudito da estética barroca com os códigos visuais da arte urbana. O recurso a materiais reaproveitados sublinha a impermanência e a consciência ecológica, criando um diálogo intenso entre o património e a contemporaneidade.

     

    António Faria (também apresentado pela primeira vez na Art Paris) oferece uma visão melancólica e impactante da fragilidade da natureza através do desenho monocromático e da instalação multimédia. As suas obras evocam um mundo em decomposição, dramatizando o jogo entre memória, mortalidade e a ausência humana. Integrando frequentemente o desenho tradicional com vídeo, som e luz, Faria constrói ambientes imersivos que transcendem os limites do meio, convidando a uma introspecção profunda.

     

    Em conjunto, estes artistas respondem ao tema da Art Paris 2025, "Out of Bounds", rompendo fronteiras geográficas, culturais e conceptuais. As suas obras celebram a hibridização como estratégia de sobrevivência artística e cultural, onde a convergência de práticas e tradições distintas se afirma como fonte de força e inovação. Num mundo marcado por identidades em mutação e por uma crescente incerteza ecológica, Narrativas Resilientes sublinha o papel fundamental da arte na criação de ligações entre passado e presente, individual e colectivo, tradição e transformação. Cada obra deste projeto encarna um diálogo entre memória e reinvenção, oferecendo ao público uma reflexão instigante sobre a capacidade da arte para transcender fronteiras e abordar questões universais de pertença, resiliência e renovação.

  • SELECTED WORKS

    • Ana Malta Longe ou Perto... É um aperto, 2025 Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas (Mixed media) 200 x 154 cm
      Ana Malta
      Longe ou Perto... É um aperto, 2025
      Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas (Mixed media)
      200 x 154 cm
    • António Faria Untitled, 2025 Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on black paper 70 x 100 cm (each x4) / 140 x 200 cm (total)
      António Faria
      Untitled, 2025
      Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on black paper
      70 x 100 cm (each x4) / 140 x 200 cm (total)
    • Ana Malta Apostando numa Roma Moderna, 2025 Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas 158 x 100 cm
      Ana Malta
      Apostando numa Roma Moderna, 2025
      Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas
      158 x 100 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel A Dança da liberdade; I; II (Diptych), 2025 Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood 100 x 80 x 7 cm + 100 x 80 x 7 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      A Dança da liberdade; I; II (Diptych), 2025
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood
      100 x 80 x 7 cm + 100 x 80 x 7 cm
    • Ana Malta Quem mais jura, mais mente, 2025 Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas 158 x 100 cm
      Ana Malta
      Quem mais jura, mais mente, 2025
      Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas
      158 x 100 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel A Faca que Significa Transformação, 2023 Acrylic and varnish on street posters and canvas 80 x 70 cm + 80 x 65 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      A Faca que Significa Transformação, 2023
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters and canvas
      80 x 70 cm + 80 x 65 cm
    • António Faria Fuga XXX, 2025 Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on tracing paper 70 x 100 cm
      António Faria
      Fuga XXX, 2025
      Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on tracing paper
      70 x 100 cm
    • Ana Malta Sub Rosa, 2025 Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas 158 x 100 cm
      Ana Malta
      Sub Rosa, 2025
      Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas
      158 x 100 cm
    • António Faria Fuga XXXII, 2025 Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on tracing paper 70 x 100 cm
      António Faria
      Fuga XXXII, 2025
      Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on tracing paper
      70 x 100 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel Flor da Pele XIV, 2025 Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood 67 x 50 x 18 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      Flor da Pele XIV, 2025
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood
      67 x 50 x 18 cm
    • Ana Malta Dojos Sociais, 2025 Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas 100 x 150 cm
      Ana Malta
      Dojos Sociais, 2025
      Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas
      100 x 150 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel Flor da Pele XV, 2025 Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood 58 x 40 x22 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      Flor da Pele XV, 2025
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood
      58 x 40 x22 cm
    • António Faria Fuga XXXI, 2025 Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on tracing paper 70 x 100 cm
      António Faria
      Fuga XXXI, 2025
      Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on tracing paper
      70 x 100 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel A Escritura, 2024 Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood 160 x 130 x 5 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      A Escritura, 2024
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood
      160 x 130 x 5 cm
    • António Faria Fuga XXXIII, 2025 Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on tracing paper 70 x 100 cm
      António Faria
      Fuga XXXIII, 2025
      Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on tracing paper
      70 x 100 cm
    • António Faria Untitled, 2025 Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on black paper 70 x 100 cm (each x4) / 140 x 200 cm (total)
      António Faria
      Untitled, 2025
      Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on black paper
      70 x 100 cm (each x4) / 140 x 200 cm (total)
    • António Faria Untitled, 2025 Charcoal and dry pastel on paper 200 x 140 cm
      António Faria
      Untitled, 2025
      Charcoal and dry pastel on paper
      200 x 140 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel Receção, 2024 Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood 130 x 160 x 5 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      Receção, 2024
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood
      130 x 160 x 5 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel As paredes têm ouvidos, 2022 Acrylic and varnish on street posters 14 x 14 x 4 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      As paredes têm ouvidos, 2022
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters
      14 x 14 x 4 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel As paredes têm ouvidos, 2022 Acrylic and varnish on street posters 14 x 14 x 4 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      As paredes têm ouvidos, 2022
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters
      14 x 14 x 4 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel As paredes têm ouvidos, 2022 Acrylic and varnish on street posters 14 x 14 x 4 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      As paredes têm ouvidos, 2022
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters
      14 x 14 x 4 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel Serie: AMO-TE, 2023 Acrylic and varnish on street posters 14 x 14 x 5 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      Serie: AMO-TE, 2023
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters
      14 x 14 x 5 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel Premissa Maior, Todos os homens são Mortais, 2024 Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood and neon 158 x 80 x 10 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      Premissa Maior, Todos os homens são Mortais, 2024
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters on wood and neon
      158 x 80 x 10 cm
    • Manuela Pimentel Serie: AMO-TE, 2023 Acrylic and varnish on street posters 14 x 14 x 5 cm
      Manuela Pimentel
      Serie: AMO-TE, 2023
      Acrylic and varnish on street posters
      14 x 14 x 5 cm
  • INSTALLATION VIEWS

  • ABOUT THE WORKS

    'Longe ou Perto... É um aperto' 'Longe ou Perto... É um aperto' 'Longe ou Perto... É um aperto' 'Longe ou Perto... É um aperto' 'Longe ou Perto... É um aperto' 'Longe ou Perto... É um aperto'

    "Longe ou Perto... É um aperto"

    The work "Longe ou Perto…é um aperto" speaks to the push and pull between distance and closeness, where even as one moves forward, the shadow of doubt and regret remains. It portrays the paradox of striving for freedom while being bound by a quiet sense of responsibility, a pull that is always present. The "aperto" or tightness becomes a metaphor for the unrelenting pressure of ambition and self-reflection, where the desire for progress is inextricably linked with the weight of unresolved emotions. This piece invites a deeper contemplation of how, no matter where we go, the tension between aspiration and regret never fully fades.

     

    Ana Malta

    "Longe ou Perto... É um aperto", 2025

    Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas

    200 x 154 cm

  • 'Sub Rosa' 'Sub Rosa' 'Sub Rosa' 'Sub Rosa' 'Sub Rosa'

    "Sub Rosa"

    The painting "Sub Rosa" unfolds as a dramatic labyrinth, resembling a theatrical performance where every corner hides an unspoken narrative. The term "sub rosa," meaning "under the rose," refers to an ancient symbol of secrecy and confidentiality, where matters discussed "sub rosa" were intended to remain private. In this sense, the work embodies the essence of hidden truths and untold stories, exploring the tension between the visible and the concealed.

     

    Through its intricate composition, the painting reflects the complexity of secrets, those veiled moments that exist just beneath the surface of everyday life. Like a play unfolding in dimly lit spaces, the piece invites the viewer into a world where words are whispered, where actions are veiled, and where the unseen holds as much weight as the seen. The labyrinthine structure of the work echoes the twisting paths of hidden desires, the labyrinths of thought, and the delicate art of secrecy. "Sub Rosa" is a visual meditation on the fragility of truth and the profound weight of what remains unsaid.

     

    Ana Malta

    "Sub Rosa", 2025

    Acrylic, oil bars, and dry pastel on canvas

    158 x 100 cm

  • 'Apostando numa Roma Moderna' 'Apostando numa Roma Moderna' 'Apostando numa Roma Moderna' 'Apostando numa Roma Moderna' 'Apostando numa Roma Moderna'

    "Apostando numa Roma Moderna"

    The painting "Apostando numa Roma moderna" delves into the ever-present desire for change and the deep gratitude that comes when life evolves for the better. The artist draws a stark parallel to the cruelty of ancient Roman entertainment, where leopards were brutally mistreated in the Coliseum for the sake of amusement. In a poignant reflection, she writes in Portuguese "em coliseu meu...lazer nunca doeu" ("In my coliseum... leisure never hurt) a declaration that underscores her core belief: those who truly care for us do not treat us with harm.

     

    Through this work, the artist invites a contemplation on self-worth, particularly in the context of relationships where suffering is often mistaken for love or care. This idea resonates beyond personal experiences, touching on themes like relationship violence and the broader societal tendency to believe that pain is something we must endure, especially women. "Apostando numa Roma moderna" is a visual manifesto that challenges the acceptance of suffering as inevitable, calling for a reclamation of self-respect and a recognition that true love is never rooted in cruelty.

     

    Ana Malta

    "Apostando numa Roma Moderna", 2025

    Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas

    158 x 100 cm

  • 'Quem mais jura, mais mente' 'Quem mais jura, mais mente' 'Quem mais jura, mais mente' 'Quem mais jura, mais mente' 'Quem mais jura, mais mente'

    "Quem mais jura, mais mente"

    The painting "Quem mais jura, mais mente" delves into the fragile nature of promises, portraying them as delicate constructs that can easily shatter. The scene is set in a workshop, where the artist visualizes a promise being "repaired," suggesting that it has failed in its evaluation, as if it were an object that no longer holds its value or integrity. This workshop metaphor serves as a commentary on how promises, when broken or unfulfilled, require mending, revealing the vulnerability of our words.

     

    In a playful yet thought-provoking twist, the artist alters the traditional Portuguese proverb "o prometido é devido" ("the promised is owed") to "O prometido é de vidro" ("the promised is made of glass"), a linguistic shift that emphasizes the fragility of our commitments. Through this wordplay, the painting calls attention to the inherent weakness of promises and the importance of sincerity in our intentions.

     

    Ana Malta

    "Quem mais jura, mais mente", 2025

    Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas

    158 x 100 cm

  • 'Dojos Sociais' 'Dojos Sociais' 'Dojos Sociais' 'Dojos Sociais' 'Dojos Sociais' 'Dojos Sociais' 'Dojos Sociais'

    "Dojos Sociais"

    In the painting "Dojos sociais" the artist reflects on how certain actions, which may lead to disastrous outcomes, are often viewed as crucial moments in our personal development. These unresolved struggles can spiral into an eternal cycle of overthinking. Yet, the piece emphasizes that this is precisely the purpose of "social dojos"—spaces where we find support, whether through family or friendships. These dojos are not just physical locations but metaphorical refuges where we confront our inner battles, allowing us to process, heal, and transform our struggles into something positive. In this way, the painting underscores the importance of community and human connection in navigating life's challenges.

     

    Ana Malta

    "Dojos Sociais", 2025

    Acrylic, oil bars and dry pastel on canvas

    100 x 150 cm

  • Known for his immersive and emotionally charged practice, António Faria presents an entirely new body of work at Art Paris 2025. Through large-scale monochromatic drawings and polyptych compositions, Faria offers a melancholic yet powerful vision of nature’s fragility, evoking landscapes suspended between presence and absence, memory and decay.

    Following his recent solo exhibition Delicate Flowers Facing Death, presented by THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE, Faria deepens his exploration of mortality, identity, and the human condition. His meticulous drawing practice, marked by intensity and repetition, gives rise to richly textured surfaces that transcend simple representation, revealing a world shaped by impermanence and introspection.

    At once intimate and monumental, his works transform nature into both subject and metaphor—an emotional landscape through which we confront the passage of time and the limits of human presence.
  • 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga' 'A Fuga'

    "A Fuga"

    In the group of works entitled "A Fuga", the relationship with music is explicitly assumed. It involves drawing as a practice that transforms each work into a rhythmic variation with its own voice. The works appear in their own right, composing the whole of a true art of fugue, where the acrylic plate acts as a coda, an added layer that gives each drawing a unique pictorial character.  An oblique mirror of nature, this group of works expresses the fragility of being in its fleeting ephemerality.

     

    António Faria

    "A Fuga XXX/XXXI/XXXII/XXXIII", 2025

    Charcoal and dry pastel plus colored acrylic glass on tracing paper

    70 x 100 cm

    (AF119/120/121/122)

  • Manuela Pimentel reimagines traditional Portuguese tiles as vessels of memory, history, and cultural sustainability. Her sculptural paintings revive forgotten narratives, merging the scholarly legacy of Baroque aesthetics with the visual codes of street art. Pimentel’s use of reclaimed materials underscores impermanence and ecological awareness, forging a poignant dialogue between heritage and the contemporary.

     

    Her art reflects on impermanence and the dialogue between past and present, reviving forgotten stories and reinterpreting the visual language of Baroque canons. Through a sustainable creative process, incorporating reclaimed materials, Manuela engages in an aesthetic exploration that underscores both cultural heritage and contemporary ecological concerns.

  • SOBRE OS ARTISTAS

    ANA MALTA, (b. 1996, Portugal)

    ANA MALTA

    (b. 1996, Portugal)

    Ana Malta is a visual artist who lives and works in Lisbon. With an academic background in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon and a master's degree in Creative Industries Management from UCP-Porto, Malta develops work in which color, patterns, and composition become the foundation of her visual expression. Her artistic practice is driven by aesthetic restlessness and the transformative potential of "error" as a creative tool.

     

    Malta's work goes beyond the exploration of form and color; it becomes a space for investigating expression, the body, memory, and the relationship between the tangible and the unconscious. Her aesthetic pursuit is marked by contrasts, the study of compositional possibilities, and the interaction between error and intentionality. Ana Malta creates not just images but visual experiences that engage with the viewer's perception and emotion.

  • António Faria, (b. 1966, Portugal)

    António Faria

    (b. 1966, Portugal)
    António Faria develops a systematic practice in the field of drawing on paper, primarily working in large monochromatic formats. His preference leans towards figurative and realistic representations of lush nature, including plants, forests, branches, flowers, leaves, and birds, with a focus on the traditional genres of landscape and still life.
     
    More recently, his work has evolved into multimedia projects, blending charcoal drawing with video, light, and sound installations. António Faria graduated in Communication Design from IADE and completed the Advanced Visual Arts Course at Ar.Co. His work has been exhibited in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Portugal and abroad.
  • Manuela Pimentel, (b. 1979, Portugal)

    Manuela Pimentel

    (b. 1979, Portugal)

    Manuela Pimentel ingeniously fuses together references to the traditional handicraft art of painted mural tiles with the aesthetics of street billboards and their cumulative layers of ripped and lacerated advertising posters. Bearing in mind post-war artists of the New Realism movement such as Mimmo Rotella, Raymond Hains or Jacques Villeglé, Pimentel incorporates or uses fragments of street posters she takes off herself as supports for her painted interventions. Using acrylic colours, the artist accurately reproduces traditional figures and scenes taken from the visual culture of the Portuguese tiles.

     

    By integrating the tiles’ conventional chromaticism, iconography and naif-style rendering into specific wall-mounted artworks and by merging all of it with torn street posters, adding resins, rough mortar and neon lights, the artist reconfigures the place of the tile as a popular and decorative expression that used to belong to local collective memory, to inscribe it in the space of global artistic creation.

  • ABOUT THE GALLERY

    THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE is an international contemporary art gallery, founded in Luanda in 2016 and based in...
    THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE is an international contemporary art gallery, founded in Luanda in 2016 and based in Lisbon, Portugal. Through the representation and collaboration with both national and international artists, whether established or emerging, the gallery presents a program focused on relevant narratives and debates, associated with the European context and the Global South. With a pioneering spirit of decompartmentalization and inclusion, favoring intercultural dialogues, it is the first African gallery in Portugal to open its collaborative circle to both local artists and artistic productions from the Global South, including Brazil and non-Lusophone African countries. The gallery maintains a regular and significant presence at major international art fairs.