Vitor Reis was born in Angola in 1974 and moved to Portugal at an early age, where he still lives and works.
Vitor descends from a family of traditional potters from Caldas da Rainha, the city where he attended the Art College and completed his Fine Arts degree. His artistic journey focused mainly on the sculpture discipline, but recently he discovered the potential of ceramics as a way of expression.
The city of Caldas da Rainha is a renowned center for ceramic tradition. Since the 19th century, with the contributions of artist such as Bordalo Pinheiro, who’s ceramic work is still highly regarded, the form of traditional erotic and satiric ceramic, and the strong functional and aesthetical movement of the local ceramic industries, especially in the 70’s and 80’s.
Coincidently or not, Vitor’s work captures a lot of the energy of that traditional ceramic that always overflows with ironic statements and criticism. Vitor Reis is now creating his ceramic work and research in a studio space sponsored by the Municipality of Caldas da Rainha, where he also develops a program of workshops with children, adults and other educational activities. He is exhibiting his ceramic work and taking part in events and interactive projects where the audience has a participatory engagement with the work, placing ceramics at the center of people’s lives.
FEATURED WORK
– Perverting tradition, 2012-2014
My work is part of all that surrounds me. I like to create contradictions, proposing new relationships, do something that surprises me. I also like jokes: light, heavy, long or quick…
Ceramics gives me an infinite of possibilities: I can act as an artist, as a designer, or craftsman, without having to commit to any of them. I can be all that and continually experiment – that’s what I like to do.
In each piece, I always try to give space of interpretation. I don’t believe there is a linear truth in representation, but I do believe that objects can get different meanings and connotations depending on the time and social sphere where they live and act. The pieces are created on the basis of total freedom.
VITOR REIS’s C.V. (resume) | View all works
EDUCATION
B.A. (Hons) in Fine Arts, Escola Superior de Arte e Design, Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
2007 – “Maus Maus” School, Advanced Programme, Lisbon, Portugal
EXHIBITIONS (selection)
2014 – “Tu Baralhas-Me” exhibition at Cecula e Membrana, Leiria, Portugal
2013 – Open Studios at the Art Center, Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
2009 – “WIELS” Project Room exhibition during Summer Residency, Brussels, Belgium
– Group exhibition “Tudo Menos a Palavra”, Camões Institute, Lisbon, Portugal
2007 – Exhibition is Maus Habitos, Porto, Portugal
– Natureza Morta, 7 Gallery, Coimbra, Portugal
2005 – Exhibition integrated with the Faro National Capital of Culture, Faro, Portugal
2002 – “Ambientar-Te” Public Sculpture Biennale, Leiria, Portugal
SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUMS (selection)
2012 – International Sculpture Symposium, Odemira, Portugal
– International Sculpture Symposium, Coronel Xavier Chaves, Brasil
2009 – International Sculpture Symposium, Danilovgrad, Montenegro
– International Sculpture Symposium, Roldan and Puerto San Martin, Argentina
2008 – “Simpettra” International Sculpture Symposium, Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
2007 – International Sculpture Symposium, Green Village, Taiwan
2006 – International Sculpture Symposium, Castello Raimondo, Italy
2004 – International Sculpture Symposium, Nueva Carteya, Spain
2003 – International Sculpture Symposium, Ortogna, Italy
– International Sculpture Symposium, Cordoba, Spain
2002 – International Sculpture Symposium, Marmara Island, Turkey
Contact Vitor at vitorreis24@gmail.com or visit his website.
View the ceramic artists list.