Interview

Written By Adelé Kotzé

Teresa Martins

Teresa Martins was born in 1969 in Lisbon, Portugal. She lives and works in Almada, Setúbal, Portugal. Her recent individual exhibitions include: Exhibition Gallery Restaurant, Almada. Entitled "Bridges"(2022); Exhibition Braço Prata, Prado Coelho room, Lisbon. Entitled "Colors with flavors" (2016); Exhibition at the Arts Coffee in Santa Apolónia, Lisbon. Entitled "Happy Trails" (2016); among others. Her recent international group exhibitions include: XIIth Florence Biennale, at the Fortezza da Basso, Florence, Italy (2019); Exhibition of Contemporary Art “Barcelona Art Contest”, at AAC Palace, Spain (2019); 4th International Contemporary Art Fair of Toulouse, France (2019); among others. Her recent national group exhibitions include: Exhibition at Nora's room. Castelo Branco (2021); Exhibition at Lamego Castle. Lamego (2020); Exhibition in Palace of Justice of Lisbon (2018); among others. Her recent selected awards include: 1st Prize - Category Painting with the work "Christ" – Exhibition "IPDJSetúbal" (2018); Personality Award – Brazil (2018); Cultural Ambassador for Peace - UN (2017); among others.

 

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I'm a communications graduate, specifically in Marketing and Advertising. You enter the world of art when you're born, basically. You either have something to pass on or you don't. I've always been drawing and painting since I was a child, as a self-taught artist. I studied art at secondary school and continued to do some sporadic acrylic and pastel painting. In 2006, I began my adventure in the arts again, now taking it more seriously and experimenting with stained glass paint on glass. From then on, the need arose to experiment with other media such as canvas, acrylic, tiles and paper, always using stained glass paint and playing with light. Later on, it included acrylic paint and resin and the creation of objects outside the standard of artistic creation, using other objects as support for the creation, such as wine boxes that become lamps or holes in the ground that come to life.”

What inspires you?

“Everything inspires me. From the clouds in the sky, a flower in bloom, a landscape, a drop falling from a leaf or the trail of bird footprints in the sand on the beach. The sound of the waves, the melody of a song, the pampered bark of a dog. The energy I feel. The pleasure I experience. The joy and sadness I witness. The world that surrounds me.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“All my work has a message of positivity, of good energy, of good feeling; regardless of the path I take in each piece. With my art I want to raise awareness of various issues, from global warming, pollution, nature, the extinction of animals, spirituality, skin colour, our history, to paying homage to culture in its most varied forms.”

“All my work has a message of positivity, of good energy, of good feeling; regardless of the path I take in each piece.”

How would you describe your work?

“My painting may be described in two words: colour and movement. My work reflects my vision of society and of our world, where nothing stands still, everything is continuously moving. I address this perpetual movement in a very personal and intimate way, through the fluidity of the colour stains that allows me to create characters, scenes and stories designed to engage the viewers emotionally. The mixture of colours resulting from the movement of the medium used gives spontaneity to this painting, where there’s no «safety net» but rather an ever echoing surprise. Although the object of my work may change, colour is always at its centre. I love colour for its powerful symbolism and I use it to convey emotion. Sometimes I start one work already knowing the goal I wish to attain, other times I follow the emotions that unfold along the process. With this very fluid technique there is no absolute control over the results, and I receive that final surprise gratefully. With my abstract painting I wish to create connections with the viewer, allow him or her to feel the pleasure and the joy of discovery in a sea of coloured spots, to be surprised by each line of contour, patch of colour or transparency, and in this way connecting emotionally with the work of art.”

Which artists influence you most?

“Matisse, Gauguin, Cézanne, Pollock, Kandinsky, Max Ernst.”

 What is your creative process like?

“My creative process has two approaches. One in which, with something in mind, I try to achieve what I want; and the other in which I let myself be carried away by the movement I make when I put the paint on and build the work from there. In either case, there is no absolute control over what I create since I don't 'paint.' I pour the paint and with the movement of the support I create the protagonists of the story and their scenarios. Things can go very well or very badly. It's this factor of uncertainty and surprise that fascinates me.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“The artist's mission is to touch the soul of his fellow man. To alert society to the different causes that disturb them. And to be a comfort to those in need.”

Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?

“I've had many exhibitions, both group and solo. All of them are special. They all enrich us as human beings. They show us other points of view about our art, about ourselves. Contact with the visitor or public is essential for the artist. I really enjoy participate in art fairs. The proximity to the public, being able to explain and interact with them is very enriching. There's more time available and a closer attitude to those who come to see our art. I think fair visitors are more genuine because they don't know what they're going to find and if they see your art, react and approach you, it's because it's touched their soul. Most of them are authentic and don't set themselves up as connoisseurs like in art galleries.”

 
Adelé Kotzé
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