Helena Almeida

Place: Lisbon

Born: 1934

Death: 2018

Biography:

Helena Almeida was a Portuguese artist known for her work in photography, performance art, body art, painting, and drawing. She represented Portugal at the Venice Biennale in 1982 and 2005 and had a solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017.

Early Life and Education

Helena Almeida was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on April 11, 1934. She was the daughter of sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida. In 1955, she completed her painting course at the Lisbon School of Fine Arts. After spending some years raising her family, she obtained a scholarship and moved to Paris in 1964.

Artistic Career

Almeida's artistic career began in 1967 when she exhibited for the first time. Her work was characterized by the use of three-dimensional elements, which she would often incorporate into her pieces. She wanted her art to escape the canvas and intrigue the viewer. Starting in 1969, Almeida defined a new aspect of her work, focusing on self-representation. She exhibited a black and white photograph of herself wearing a canvas, arms spread and looking down, asserting her belief in "identifying herself with the being of her work." Some notable works by Helena Almeida include:

• Painting by 'Helena Almeida': A woman's image is always present, but the image is transformed in a painting or drawing.
• Photography by 'Helena Almeida': She used photography as a meta-narrative, bringing together three disciplines: photography, painting, and drawing.

Awards and Exhibitions

Almeida's work has been exhibited in various museums and galleries, including the Tate Modern in London, the Museum of Art in New York, and the Museu d'art Contemporary de Barcelona. She represented Portugal at the Venice Biennale in 1982 and 2005. Some notable exhibitions include:

• Galeria Buchholz, Lisbon (1967)
• Venice Biennial (1982)
• Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea, Santiago de Compostela (2000)

work can be found in the Wikioo.org collection, which includes her paintings and photographs. For more information about Helena Almeida, visit Art Institute of Chicago or Lisbon School of Fine Arts.