Gonçalo Mar

Gonçalo Mar

GonçaloMAR (n. 1974, Lisbon) is one of the most important artists of his generation. At twelve, he was already drawing the figures of his imagination with chalk on the tarmac. During his academic career, a mid-degree in Fashion Design,  he started working as a designer in MagicToons animation studio. In the beginning of 98 he has his first contact with Graffiti. Focused on building a proper and peculiar imagination, GonçaloMAR´s work blends elements of comic book universe and animation with some elements of Japanese culture and the codes of streetart. The multicolored central characters are wrapped in a surreal aura, shown in situations that seem out of a dream, coated with a lyricism unparalleled in this kind of artistic expression in Portugal. On the wall of a building, there may be a giant character inviting the viewer out of the routine and to dream. However, GonçaloMAR's work is not limited only to graffiti or streetart. The preparation level, the obsession with design and richness of details also transfers to the screen and to the dream that creates as well as installations that incorporate wood, cardboard and cement. On the walls of an art gallery, these constitute as a continuation and extension of its so particular cosmos.
 
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016 “MarMixedmedia”.Circus Network Gallery, Porto, Portugal
2015 “Human Nature”.Tooth & Nail Winery. Paso Robles. California
2014 “Metade de mim é Maresia” . 39A Gallery . Lisboa, Portugal
2012 “There is one in all of us”Urban Art Lx . Influx Contemporary Art. Lisbon, Portugal
2011 ”With Great Powers Comes Great Responsibilities”. Montana Gallery. Lisbon, Portugal
2009 “FormArt”. Muuda. Oporto, Portugal
 
GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023 "Choice" Because Art Matters. Lisboa, Portugal

2023 "Fourteen years of Crack". IDBLisbon. Portugal

2023 "UrbanSplash".DedicatedLisboa. Portugal

2023 B00M Festival. Idanha a Nova. Portugal

2022 "Botanicals",Amoreiras Creative Hall,Lisboa Portugal

2021 "Happy Endings" Crackids. Lisboa, Portugal

2021 "EphemeralEthernal", NFTs show, curated by Underdogs,

2021 "Imperfeita", 284Colectivo. Lisboa, Portugal

2021 "Change", FreixoClassics. Lisboa, Portugal

2018 "SYMBIOSIS". O.D. Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2017 “Armosphere”, Armcollective, Lisboa, Portugal

2017 ”Iminente”, Brick Lane, London

2016 “Iminente”, Oeiras, Portugal

2015 Bienal de Artes, Festa do Avante, Amora Portugal

2015 Urban Now . Metamorfose Gallery. Oporto, Portugal

2014 Soma . Underdogs Gallery. Lisboa, Portugal

2014 [7Days/7Artists].Cidadela Art District.Cascais, Portugal

2013 Water Museum. Coimbra, Portugal

2013 Off the Wall.Conrad. Algarve Portugal

2012 Beyond Walls . António Prates Gallery. Lisbon, Portugal

2010 Artspace 2010 . Cascais, Portugal

2009 Artspace 2009 . Cascais, Portugal

2005-2010 VSP - Visual Street Performance, Lisbon, Portugal

 

SITE SPECIFIC

2021 "Masks II" Roman Theatre. Lisbon Museum, Lisbon, Portugal

2021 "Commotion"Large Scale collective installation, to mark the Portuguese Presidency of the council of the european union in Brussels, curated by Underdogs Gallery

2015 "Masks". Roman Theatre. Lisbon Museum. Lisbon, Portugal

2014 “Urban Art” Sines.Sines.Portugal

2014 Réplica.Silos Contentor Criativo.Caldas da Rainha, Portugal

2013 "La Tour 13". Galerie Itinerrance . Paris, France

2013 "Balance". Alcantara. Lisbon, Portugal

2012 "Lowbrow". GAU(Galeria Arte Urbana de Lisboa). Lisbon, Portugal

2011 "Heroes". Mercado do Chão do Loureiro . Lisbon, Portugal

 

ART FESTIVALS AND RESIDENCES

2023, Sumol Summerfest,Costa da Caparica,Portugal

2022,"Estendal", Montemor, Portugal

2022,Á Babuja,Seixal, Portugal

2022, Boom Festival.Idanha a Nova.Portugal

2021, Sete Sois,Sete luas,AlksarKibir,Marocos

2021 Mural18,Setubal,Portugal

2020 Festival "ESTAU".Estarreja.Portugal

2019/21 Festival Iminente.Lisboa.portugal

2019 Festival" Escolhas".Costa da Caparica .Portugal

2015 “O Festa”.Ovar.Portugal

2014 “Sete Sois,Sete Luas”. Florença . Italia

2013 “Searching for Colours”. ArtUrb (International Residency Programme).Lagos, Portugal

2012 “Walk & Talk“Art Festival. São Miguel Island . Azores

2011/2014 Eastpak Tour. Istambul.Turkey

2011 “Crono” Festival. Lisboa,Portugal

2011 “Wool” Festival. Covilhã. Portugal

2010 Bienal Arquitecture. Lusiada University.Luanda.Angola

2005/2010 VSP-Visual street Performance.Bairro alto,Lisboa. Portugal

2008 Eurocultured Art Festival . Manchester, UK

2007 Red Bull Street Gallery . Lisboa, Portugal

2004/2009 SeixalGraffiti Festival .Seixal . Portugal

AWARDS

2022, Medal of Cultural Merit by the Municipal Chamber of Seixal

At this time, the artistic purpose of GonçaloMAR involves the exploration of new urban spaces and the continuous evolution of his work for different areas in the visual and graphic field that ART can offer him.