Bia e Psique

At first the work of Portuguese artist David Oliveira looks like a series of transparent drawings, freely executed with a black marker. In reality, they are beautifully built wire sculptures that posses a delicate sense of poise and intricacy. Bridging the gap between two and three-dimensions, his sculptures seemed to have been pulled off the page, giving a sense of life, time and a third dimension to a drawing.

In his own words

Could you please introduce yourself and tell what motivated you to become an Artist? When did you realise you would pursue a life in Art?
My name is David Oliveira; I’m a 34 years old Portuguese artist. I went to fine arts school, studied sculpture and one day, at my first exhibition, I realized that’s what I wanted to do. I was always interested in medicine, anatomy and science and so my question was why should I be drawn to Art; Art seemed so pointless, without any function (or so I was told).

When creating your art, do you switch between a variety of disciplines, such as drawing, painting and photography? Does drawing play any part in your sculpture and, if so, how?

Mae

Disciplines are just a way to help to express what goes on inside; they are techniques, providing support for the idea. I go through the drawing process to help me make my sculptures. I appreciate its pureness and its closeness with the idea.

Where do you gain inspiration?
I try to pay attention to life; inspiration can come from anywhere.

You use the ‘portrait’ as the focus of your work. What makes you choose certain people for your work – is it their face, backgrounds, achievements or relationship with yourself? What do you try to capture when creating a portrait?
Portrait is a very close experience with the one being represented. I try to evoke their spirit; their shape can be easily be bent when they lose their youth; I try to represent the memory of the person.  Usually the people are my relations or people that are close to me.

Homem deitado

What elements do you find most challenging in your work?
My challenge comes from space – what it carries, shelters, the stories it hides.

Born in February 1980, Oliveira graduated in Sculpture in 2008 from the University of Fine Arts in Lisbon, where he majored in sculpture specialising in ceramics.

In 2010 he started a Masters in Drawing and Artistic Anatomy.

All images courtesy of David Oliveira  | http://davidoliveiraescul.wix.com/davidoliveira

For more information on Hong Kong Art Tutoring please contact:
Gail Deayton
Telephone: +852 9722 8353
Email: info@hkarttutoring.com

Homem deitado

Homem sentado

Homem sentado (detail)

Lobos (photo Jorge Pacheco)

Lobos (detail) (photo Jorge Pacheco)

Mergulha, pormenor

Mergulha

Mergulha e deitada

Mergulha, pormenor (detail)

Estrutura