Interview
Maria Isabel Antunes
Maria is an amateur artist. She is 75 years old, and lives in Odivelas, Portugal. She started painting during the pandemic to avoid going crazy, and now she can't stop painting because it's become part of her life. Maria has had several exhibitions around the world, including in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Venice, and also in Lisbon.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I have no formal training in painting or drawing. I had some insights from some work done at ACSMO, an association I attend, given to me by the visual artist Dr. Ana, who is our art monitor. But I've always enjoyed painting. However, because I had a very busy professional life—I was a high school teacher and responsible for vocational training courses, and I also had three children to care for—I didn't have time for painting. So, during the pandemic, to avoid going crazy because I was alone, starting by reading some books I have at home and searching the internet, I began to paint, and nowadays it's a part of my life.”
What inspires you?
“What inspires me is life, everything related to it, the day-to-day with the feelings and motivations that bring us problems. I try to put on canvas various feelings that disturb me, and also society in its social and behavioral aspects. I can't remain indifferent to the suffering of so many innocent people who die of hunger and in wars around the world. I could say it was Matisse or Mondrian, but I'd be lying. Yes, there are many I like to observe, but it's life that truly inspires me.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“The themes I like to address in my paintings, as I mentioned in the previous question, are life in all its expressions. The message I try to convey is one of ongoing debate about our path as individuals on our journey through life, about ourselves and others.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work describes feelings and emotions in the way I see the world around us, whether in my abstracts, landscapes, or themes of war and death; it is this observation that matters.”
Which artists influence you most?
“The artists who influence me most are contemporary ones like Paula Rego, Maria Helena Vieira da Silva, Júlio Pomar, and many other Portuguese painters. Internationally, I am influenced by Gerhard Richter, Damien Hirst, Anna Morche, and many others.”
“My work describes feelings and emotions in the way I see the world around us, whether in my abstracts, landscapes, or themes of war and death; it is this observation that matters.”
What is your creative process like?
“My creative process is often driven by impulse, for example, when I see the news on TV and see scenes of war or famine, I immediately run to grab a canvas and draw the scene. Other times, when I go for a walk, I see a landscape, a house, or the sea that catches my attention. Other times, it's my emotions that surface, and according to them, I paint joy or sadness, but always with the intention of giving a glimmer of hope.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The role of the artist in today's world should be to advocate for the rights of minorities, the right to peace, justice, and democracy; only in this way do I see my ability to influence others through painting.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I've had several exhibitions around the world, for example in Miami, New York, Paris, Venice, but they were all digital because I don't yet have the means to travel to all those cities. Therefore, the most exciting one was the one I did with 85 other artists at the Zaratan Gallery in Lisbon on October 6th, and the auction was on the 8th, where I sold my work.”
Instagram: @mariaisabelantunes
