Mário Belém

Place: Lisbon

Born: 1977

Biography:

Mário Belém is a Portuguese urban artist and designer born in 1977 in Lisbon, Portugal. He is known for combining illustrations and words in his work, conveying aspects of art and literature that few can. Belém worked as a digital illustrator and graphic designer for several years, but the desire to get his hands dirty with paint again and focus on his artwork proved stronger. He is a graduate of the Ar.Co in Lisbon and has exhibited his work in several galleries and museums in Portugal and abroad. Belém's work often explores themes of identity, memory, and the passage of time. He is particularly interested in the relationship between the individual and the collective, and the ways in which personal experiences are shaped by larger social and historical forces. Belém's work is characterized by its vibrant colors, bold shapes, and intricate details. He often works with acrylic on canvas, but he also experiments with other mediums, such as collage, printmaking, and sculpture. Belém's art is part of several private and public collections, including the Sandeman Arts Collection. He has received several awards and recognitions for his work, including the National Prize for Young Artists in 2005 and the Biennial Prize of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in 2010.