Gonçalo Barreiros

Gonçalo Barreiros (Lisbon, 1978) lives and works in Lisbon.

Gonçalo Barreiros’ (Lisbon, 1978) work is punctuated by an unusual quality of reconfiguring images, objects and situations — predominantly in his sculptural practice. Allied to a subversion of signs, sometimes subtle, sometimes more evident, this mechanics of re-signifying circumstance operates as a conceptual constant across most of his plastic variations, manifesting itself through a formal approach often linked to the forging of iron as a material capable of manipulation and ingenuity. Starting from a principle of recognition and estrangement, there is a ‘Shakespearean’ linguistic quality to his work, where the being or non-being of the object is perpetuated by the fullness of the moment of contemplation, dissociating the viewer from the reality they are familiar with, resorting to the production of an idiosyncratic, sometimes enchanting and subversive effect.

The following exhibitions can be highlighted: “Então aquilo que”, Galeria Vera Cortês, (Lisbon, 2021); “Recomeço do mundo”, CAPC (Coimbra, 2018); “Declaração Amigável”, Galeria Vera Cortês (Lisbon, 2017); “Condomínio Fechado”, O Armário (Lisbon, 2017); “Nosey Parker”, Galeria Vera Cortês (Lisbon, 2014); “Vraum”, Chiado 8, curated by Bruno Marchand (Lisbon, 2013); “n.17”, Empty Cube, a Project by João Silvério at Círculo das Artes Plásticas de Coimbra (Coimbra, 2013); “Woodpecker”, Ermida de Belém (Lisbon, 2012); and the group shows “O Pequeno Mundo (from the CGD collection)”, curated by Sérgio Mah, Museu de Arte Contemporânea Nadir Afonso (Chaves, 2021); “A Exposição Invisível”, curated by Delfim Sardo, Culturgest (Lisbon, 2020); “Toutes Les Lignes Droites Sont Courbes”, Villa Carpentier (Belgium, 2020). His work is represented in collections such as: CACE (Portuguese State Art Collection); Lisbon Municipality Collection; Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Collection; Fundação Carmona e Costa Collection and MAAT Collection.