MARTINHO DIAS

Martinho Dias was a Visual Arts teacher until 2009, when he began to dedicate himself entirely to artistic activity. He has illustrated several children’s and youth literature books, having participated, in the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava in 2003. His work integrates several collections and has been shown regularly in Portugal and abroad, in individual and collective exhibitions, biennials, symposiums and art fairs.

 

In 1999, Martinho is one of Portugal's representatives in "The Winsor & Newton Worldwide Millennium Painting Competition", with exhibitions in London, Stockholm and New York. Between 2003 and 2005, he produces the photographic work "Two Parts Invention", in partnership with the German artist and composer Peter Ablinger, which was shown for the first time in 2008 in the exhibition "arte x arte - Bogotá08", Colombia, at the invitation of Max Steven Grossman. In 2005, Martinho Dias visits New York and participates with musicians Nuno Rebelo, Vítor Rua and Phill Niblock, among others, in " Projected Images # sonorous installations", Lisbon, organised by the writer and music critic Rui Paes.

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Some of Martinho Dias' projects, namely "Written Paintings" and "Pangea", counted with the participation of personalities from different areas, mainly music, such as Maestro António Victorino D'Almeida, Eurico Carrapatoso or the singer Amélia Muge, the Spanish musician Kepa Junkera, the Italian artist and performer Alzek Misheff, besides Peter Ablinger, Gianluigi Trovesi, Pauline Oliveros, Paulo Cunha e Silva, Bill T Jones, among others.

 

In 2006, the artist has his first solo exhibition in Brasil-Salvador, at Galeria Cañizares. In 2007 he wins (ex aequo) the 1st Prize "Body in Expression", for Espaço Servartes, Oporto, and participates in ArtMADRID, for Galeria António Prates. In 2011, he participates in the fair ART PARIS, Grand Palais, by Saatchi Art.

 

In 2012 he receives from the Municipality of Trofa, the "Medal of Cultural Merit" and represents Portugal at the "10th International Artistic Symposium" in Saarbrücken, Germany. In the same year his work was highlighted in the weekly rubric of the curator Chenoa Solis, at Saatchi Art Gallery, London. Between 2013 and 2017, he participates as a guest in the international biennial "Isola dei Colori", Sardinia – Italy. In 2014, his first video work, PANGEA, (50') premieres at the SCHOK'2014 biennial in the Netherlands, at the invitation of its director, Jaap Borgers. A year later he is invited by Artkate Galerie, Berlin, to participate in the ATTITUDES exhibition.

 

With regard to the solo exhibition "Martinho Dias: 005-015", at the Museu Municipal de Espinho, 2015, Martinho is invited by the writer Valter Hugo Mãe for his show in Porto Canal. Also in 2015, he is invited to "Inside the Studio", by Saatchi Art, London. In the same year, the Galeria MAC - Contemporary Art Movement, Lisbon, awards him the "MAC'2015 Hilário Teixeira Lopes", and in 2018, the “Prémio MAC' 2018 Prestígio”. In 2020, he sets up the exhibition "Penas", at Cultural and Congress Center of Caldas da Rainha.

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In the same year, Martinho Dias is invited by Stella Jurgen to her TV show “Stella's Studio”, on Camões TV, in Toronto. He is also invited to participate in the SCHOK’2020 biennial, in Holland, and to be part of the artistic residency “Maison de l’ Artiste” – Piazza Armerina, Italy. Both activities were eventually canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

In 2021, in addition to works and interviews published in OBSESSED with ART, USA, he participates in the collective project “# 365 days after”, organized by the Ukrainian art association MOKONSHU, Kiev. Invited by the International Virtual Educa Organization, he carries out a painting and subsequent serigraphic edition, within the scope of the largest international congress on Education: Global Congress – Virtual Educa 2021.

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At the end of that year, he recorded a conversation with Rui Reininho, leader of the Pop-rock group GNR, for a series of programs about Portuguese artists, “Ofício da Solitude”, by Portuguese director and producer Fernando Rocha.

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Recently, he collaborated with “Win’Art project”, org. Juliana Santos, live painting with wine. Was invited by the European Society of Neuroradiology to participate in the exhibition “Artificial Intelligence” within the scope of the 45th European Society of Neuroradiology Annual Meeting, at Centro de Congressos de Lisboa, having been distinguished with the Acquisition Prize with the work “Microsurgery”.

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Martinho Dias started 2023 with “Mindset” exhibition, at Galeria Espaço Exibicionista, Lisbon, followed by the exhibition “Cruzes”, at Galeria Municipal de Arte, Barcelos, “Circunvalação”, at Galeria Porto Oriental, Porto and finishing with CIRCUMSTANCES at Browns Waterfront, Valletta, Malta.