Maria Luzia Almeida Cunha de Alegre e Silva (b. 1995, Porto, Portugal), BA in Fine Arts, 2017 and MA in Fine Arts – Painting, 2019 at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto. Currently living between Porto, Portugal and Munich, Germany.
The artistic work presented by Maria Cunha focuses on various concepts such as: portraiture and self-representation ; experience and perception; space and time; memory, ethereal.
The first solo exhibition a Persona con Paesaggi dentro, took place in June 2018, Rome, Italy, at the Gallery of the IPSAR, Istituto Portoghese di Sant’Antonio in Roma, on the occasion of the Day of Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities. Also in 2018 the artist conducted an Artistic Residence (Program and Partnership between Bienal de Arte de Cerveira Foundation and Faculty of Fine Arts – University of Porto) at Casa do Artista Jaime Isidoro, at Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal).
Maria Cunha conducted also her post-graduate studies in Portugal and Germany leading a solo Residence between 2019 and 2020 (A crença na viagem: locais, pessoas, paisagens. As suas identidades) as a scholar of Erasmus+Program: Internship.
Awards and Nominations
Winner of the 2019’s edition of the Infanta Dona Maria Francisca Award, in the Painting category. This award is the result of a partnership between the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto (FBAUP), Círculo Dr. José de Figueiredo – Friends of the Museum Nacional de Soares dos Reis, Real Social Culture Sports Association and Serralves Museum. The artist received a Honorable Mention in 2017, at XXX Salão de Primavera “Prémio Rainha Isabel de Bragança” in the Art Gallery of the Casino Estoril and another Honorable Mention in 2022, at XII Bienal de Arte Jovem de Vila Verde.
Nominated by António Ponte, Director of the Soares dos Reis National Museum (Porto), for “The 2022 Sovereign Portuguese Art Prize“. Maria Cunha has been selected to be part of the finalist exhibitions (among 30 Portuguese contemporary artists) taking place in renowned museums including Palácio das Artes (Porto), Sociedade Nacional de Belas Artes (Lisbon) and Museu Berardo Estremoz. The panel of judges for this prize includes Ai Wei Wei, Philippe Vergne, Joana Vasconcelos, Tim Marlow, David Elliott, Vicente Todolí and Maura Marvão.
From Maria Cunha solo exhibitions it is possible to highlight the ones in Rome, Italy (La Persona con Paesaggi dentro, Galeria IPSAR, Santo António dos Portugueses. 2018), and in Porto, Portugal (A crença na viagem etérea, na experiência da observação., oMuseu, Faculdade de Belas Artes da Universidade do Porto.) In October 2021, the artist sets up her first solo online exhibition (Clouds.2021) – a partnership/project with Galeria Independente Dentro (Porto, Portugal).
As for group exhibitions, it is possible to destinguish the ones in Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal (XXI BIENAL INTERNACIONAL DE ARTE DE CERVEIRA, 2020 and XIX BIENAL INTERNACIONAL DE ARTE DE CERVEIRA, 2017), in Zet Gallery, Braga, Portugal (Conspiração da Arte, 2020), in Forum Cultural da Maia, Portugal (Decurso – Pensamento sobre a Pintura, 2019).