Paulo Neves

Paulo Neves, b. 1959 in Cucujães. He would come to reveal his artistic maturity in the 90’s. He is today an international sculptor of national reference. With works in several Portuguese collections, he is also represented in the USA, France, Spain, Brazil, The Netherlands, Belgium, Romenia, Australia, Morrocco and Germany. Despite having attended the school of Fine Arts of Oporto, he is mainly a self-taught artists. The morphologic expression of his pieces appeals to expressionism and Barroque, even if his aesthetic feels completely original. Paulo Neves has been exhibiting at São Mamede Art Gallery since 2015. In 2023, Paulo Neves had an individual exhibition at the museum of Contemporary Art Serralves, Porto, and was also responsible for creating the chair for the Pope on his visit to Parque Eduardo VII, in Lisbon, during the World Youth Week For many, the work of Paulo Neves does not need any introduction. With a long career, his pieces have his signature, clear to those who have been following his work. They do not, however, loose a character of exploration and discovery for new paths. He works mainly with wood. Organic material, warm, that brings you in. His sculptures however, despite the inviting matter, often present themselves with a solemn look and strong presence. They are simultaneously close and distant even in their scale. By going through Paulo Neves work, it becomes clear that he keeps continuously working in series. His pieces live well on their own, but in group they stand out. He creates unique pieces alone, that are part of complete series. You can sense a certain obsession in his process that marks his work. It is in this incessant search that he keeps finding new paths without losing his remarkably unique quality.