Vasco Araújo

VASCO ARAÚJO (Lisbon, 1975)
"Diva a Portrait, 2000.
Black and white photography.
Provenance: Filomena Soares Gallery, Lisbon.
Exhibitions: ARCO, 2001.
Measurements: 60 x 50 cm, 73,5 x 63,5 cm (frame).

"Diva a Portrait" is an early photograph by Vasco Araújo, made in 2000, in which the artist addresses some of the themes that will mark his later production: the construction of identity, theatricality, the mask, the body and the codes of scenic representation.

The image shows a female figure isolated against a dark background, captured in a gesture of intense expressiveness. The use of black and white accentuates the contrast between the skin, the light gloves, the pearl necklace and the black dress, generating an image of great dramatic force. The pose, halfway between portrait, operatic interpretation and performative gesture, refers to the universe of the diva as a constructed figure, excessive and vulnerable at the same time.

Vasco Araújo held his first solo exhibition at Galeria César (2002), currently Galeria Filomena Soares, in Lisbon, and in 2003 he received the Prémio EDP Novos Artistas, one of the most relevant awards for emerging artists in Portugal. Since then he has developed an international career, with solo exhibitions in institutions such as Museu de Serralves in Porto, S.M.A.K. in Ghent, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, Boston Center for the Arts and Jeu de Paume in Paris.

His work is part of collections such as the Centre Pompidou, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Fundação de Serralves, Fundação PLMJ, Museo Reina Sofía and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, among others.