ALBERTO PLÁCIDO — Photographer
Artist Statement / Profile
A visual artist and photographer whose practice centres on exploring landscape, time,
territory and architecture through installations, video art and photography, investigating the memory of
place and of built space. He understands landscape as construction, deepening the concept of "deserts" —
no man's lands defined by a lack of human presence, whether through inaccessibility or non-representation, does not, however,
ignore its gestures and structures. He seeks to photograph ideas rather than objects, testing the limits of
photographic language. The result is a coherent visual lexicon, made of relationships between images, diptychs,
triptychs and series, in dialogue with time and perception. His work has been shown at the Portuguese Centre of
Photography, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, European Capitals of Culture (Porto 2001 and Guimarães 2012)
and international biennials.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021 · ‘Virgin Forest’ — Convent of Santo António Gallery, Lagoa, São Miguel, Azores.
2020 · ‘VENTO’ — Artistic residency project and exhibition, Coêdo (Vila Real) / PeriPlus & Peripécia Teatro.
2019 · ‘Horizon’ — Solo exhibition (work composed with the "Time Lapse" technique, 5×5 grid), Sala do Forno Gallery, Ponta Delgada City Council, Azores.
2012 · ‘Time’ — Video art, CAAA (Center for Art and Architecture Affairs), Guimarães 2012 — European Capital of Culture.
2011 · ‘Time’ — Video art, Arthobler Gallery, Porto.
2008–2009 · ‘ECO’ — Visual and author installation presented at ACERT ArtSpace (Tondela), TPK Contemporary Art Initiative / Tecla Sala (Barcelona), EspaiB Gallery (Barcelona), and Arthobler Gallery (Porto).
2005 · ‘Inscape’ — Solo photography exhibition, Bartolomeu 5 Gallery, Lisbon.
2004 · ‘Coast’ — Installation, Emmerico Nunes Cultural Center, Sines.
2001 · ‘House of Dreams’ — Installation, CPF - Portuguese Centre of Photography / Porto 2001 — European Capital of Culture.
2001 · ‘Interactive Spaces’ — Public space intervention/installation (3 Billboards), Porto 2001 — European Capital of Culture.
2001 · ‘Homage’ — Solo exhibition (curated by Daniel Schuerer), Monastery Gallery, Porto.
2000 · ‘Landscape in Motion’ — Installation, Traffic Gallery, Porto.
2000 · ‘Landscape’ — Video projection, International Theatre Festival, Portalegre.
Selected Group Exhibitions & Biennials
2011 · ‘The Experience of Landscape’ — Installation, “Encore” Art Festival / Biennale of Contemporary Art, Edinburgh, Scotland.
2009 · ‘Live Vilnius’ — Installation at MenoParkas Gallery, Vilnius — European Capital of Culture, Lithuania.
2009 · Group Exhibition (with Cecília Paredes and Jorge Molder) — Arthobler Gallery / LX Factory, Lisbon.
2008–2009 · Lisbon Contemporary Art Fair & Vilnius Art Fair — Arthobler Gallery.
2008 · ‘Terra Nova’ — Photographic projection, Remade in Portugal Project, Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art (Porto) and Electricity Museum / EDP Foundation (Lisbon).
2006–2007 · ‘Red Line - Beyond the Borders’ — Touring exhibition, Porto (Portugal) and Kaunas (Lithuania).
2004 · ‘Monsaraz’ — Installation, ’Museu Aberto’ Art Festival, Monsaraz.
2003 · ‘Night’ — Installation, ‘Encore’ Meetings of Contemporary Art, Edinburgh, Scotland.
2002 · ‘The Experience of Landscape’ — European Biennale of Contemporary Art, Nîmes (France) and Porto (Portugal).
2001 · ‘Never stand up in a Canoe’ (with Kirk Woolford) — ACARTE Festival, CAM - Calouste Gulbenkian Modern Art Centre, Lisbon.
Commissions
2021 · ‘Jardins do Porto’ — Fine art photography commission for Hotel Jardins do Porto.
2012 · Scenic video for the play ‘Quem te porá como frutos nas árvores’ (Assédio Theatre Co.) — São João National Theatre, Porto.
Architectural Collaborations
Visual essay projects and documentation of landmark architectural works with renowned studios:
• Álvaro Siza Vieira (2000–2004)
• Eduardo Souto de Moura (1999–2002)
• Paulo Providência (2015–2017)
• VAstudio (2008–2015), Menos é Mais, Correia/Ragazzi, Paula Santos, Pedra Líquida, Aires Mateus.
Art Residencies
2020 · 'VENTO' Art Residency — Coêdo (Vila Real), organized by PeriPlus / Peripécia Teatro.
Awards & Recognition
2002 · 1st Prize for Architecture/Design — "Environmental Interpretation Centre" in Coimbra (Polis-Europa Program), in collaboration with Alberto Laje and Paula Monzio.
2004–2005 · Web design recognition — "World Wide Arts" and "Photo Awards" for author platform.
Collections
Works featured in national and international private collections (Portugal, Hong Kong, and others).
Publications & Author Monographs
2016 · 'Architectonica Percepta' (with Paulo Providência) — Park Books (248 pp.), with associated exhibition at Ciclo de Ideias, Porto.
• Other Published Works: 'A Casa da Atalhada', 'Roteiro de Arquitetura dos Açores', 'Nuvens', 'Embaixada de Portugal em Paris', and 'NADA' (Author editions in photography and architecture).
2008 · 'Ver através dos muros' (Liliana Coutinho, ed. Caminho) — Monograph on artist Ana Vieira, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
2003 · Retrospective Exhibition Catalogue of Artist Ana Vieira — Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art.
1997 · Monograph on artist Eduardo Nery — Published by Culturgest.
Lectures & Teaching
2011 · "Photography as Art" — Conference, FNAC Chiado, Lisbon.
2011 · Jury Member and Guest Lecturer — 'Na Superfície' Workshop, Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto (FBAUP).
2009–2010 · International Colloquium ‘Drawing the Light’ — Guest speaker, Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto (FAUP).
Education & Training
• Photography and Design Courses: Ar.Co (Centre for Art and Visual Communication, 1983–1988) and Portuguese Institute of Photography (IPF, 1988–1991).
• Contemporary Art & Media Workshops: Roy Ascott ('Moistmedia'), Gerfried Stocker ('Ars Electronica'), Kirk Woolford, CAM Gulbenkian.
• Languages: Portuguese (Native), English (Fluent), French (Fluent).