Filipa Pontes (portugal)

//BIO

Filipa Pontes (Beja – Portugal, 1978).

Since 2004 Pontes has participated in projects, exhibitions and art residencies in Portugal, Brazil, Spain, Mozambique, China and Norway. Using drawing as a way to research and reflect on the human relations in contemporary society, Pontes creates site-specific projects through installation, performance and artist’s books, exploring the connections between place, time and space.

She studied Graphic Design (ESAD, Caldas da Rainha, Portugal, 2004) and Creative Illustration (EINA, Barcelona, Spain, 2007), and holds a PhD in Fine Arts (FBAUL, Lisbon, Portugal, 2020).

//ARTIST STATEMENT

I intend to produce a set of drawings featuring “abstract portraits” of non-western immigrants living in Narva. These portraits attempt to capture each participant’s immaterial dimension seen from the particular perspective of the artist. They are not objective and straightforward representations of the person. Instead, I will try to convey the complexities of being an immigrant and the subjective perspective of individual experience.

// EXPERIENCE AT NART

Narva Artist Residence was my first time in Estonia, and I loved it.During the one-month stay at NART, I developed the Abstract Portraits series to create a specific work about immigration experiences in Narva. From the different approaches and statements of local people, I learned a bit about the complex history of Narva. The natural environment and architectural surroundings also add new layers to understanding the specificities of the place. I’ve met artists from diverse places and had the chance to share and exchange ideas about site-specific art practices. At NART, daily life is pleasant, the team is friendly and supportive, and the lively cultural agenda inside the big house makes the place unique and joyful. The sauna and its particular rituals, pace and times are memorable.I am looking forward to visiting Estonia once more.