Shadow invitation figure
Geometric Abstraction
1990
175.0 x 55.0 cm
National Azulejo Museum
maria de lourdes bettencourt de castro (1930 – 2022)
Discover Maria de Lourdes Bettencourt de Castro (Lourdes Castro), a renowned Portuguese artist known for abstract art, collages, silk screens, and innovative shadow theatre. Explore her contributions to experimental art movements like KWY and her exp
National Azulejo Museum (Lisbon, Portugal)
Discover the breathtaking azulejo tile collections at Lisbon's National Azulejo Museum, where centuries of Portuguese history unfold within a stunning former convent, inviting you to explore this vibrant ceramic legacy.
Fixing shadows to various supports has been a constant in Lourdes Castro’s work since the 1960s. She uses a mix of techniques and materials such as Plexiglas, silk-screen printing, painting, embroidery and as in the present case, the azulejo, sometimes giving the shadow a three-dimensional character. Born on the Island of Madeira, Lourdes Castro attended the School of Fine Arts in Lisbon between 1950 and 1956, a year before settling in Paris with a grant from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, with Arpad Szenes (1897-1985) as her mentor. She lived in Paris until 1983. In this Shadow Invitation Figure in azulejo, citing tradition by evoking the typical typologies of 18th century Portuguese production, Lourdes Castro presents a female figure in profile. This figure impels us to silence but as with its 18th century predecessor, it becomes more assertive when applied to the wall, with the contrast between the blue of the azulejo and the white of the wall.
About this artwork
- Title: Shadow invitation figure
- Artist: maria de lourdes bettencourt de castro
- Year: 1990
- Original dimensions: 175.0 x 55.0 cm
- Format: Tall
- Copyright status: Under copyright
- Where to see it: National Azulejo Museum
- Movement: Geometric Abstraction
- Color palette: Neutrals
- Keywords: azulejo tile artwork , geometric abstraction , shadow invitation art