Alberto Carneiro

Alberto Carneiro (Coronado, 1937 – Porto, 2017) was a prominent Portuguese sculpture and one of the most awarded artists of his generation. He studied Sculpture at Escola Superior de Belas Artes do Porto and Saint Martin’s School of Art (London), after training for eleven years at traditional oficinas de santeiro in his hometown of Coronado. His work was instrumental to the contemporisation of Portuguese sculpture and its emancipation from the kind of decorative statuary so dear to the Portuguese totalitarian regime (1926-1974), in a shift towards the conceptual, performative and experimental from the 1960s onwards. Sculpture, installation, photography and drawing were the means used to explore a thematic and visual language based on the relationship between the body and natural elements. This resulted in a markedly original body of work notable for its questioning of the landscape, nature and how humans relate to the world. His educational career also influenced various generations of artists and architects. He taught in the Sculpture course at ESBAP (1971-1976), the Architecture course at FAUP (1970-1999), and was responsible for the artistic and educational counselling at Círculo de Artes Plásticas, an autonomous body from the Universidade de Coimbra (1972-1985). Among his many distinctions he was awarded the Prémio Nacional de Escultura (1968), the Prémio Nacional de Artes Plásticas (1985) and conferred the medal of Grand Officer in the Order of Prince Henry (Ordem do Infante D. Henrique) in 1994. He founded the Museu Internacional de Escultura Contemporânea in Santo Tirso and the Parque Internacional de Escultura Contemporânea in Vila de Carrazeda de Ansiães (2002-2009). Following the donation agreement between Alberto Carneiro and the Santo Tirso City Council, the Centro de Arte Alberto Carneiro was created, permanently exhibiting part of the artist’s work (2021). Highlighted retrospectives include: Culturgest, Oporto (2017); Fundação Carmona e Costa, Lisbon (2015); Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves, Oporto (2013); Centro de Arte Contemporânea de Bragança (2012); Fundação Beulas, Huesca (2006); Museu de Arte Contemporânea do Funchal (2003); Centro Galego de Arte Contemporânea, Santiago de Compostela (2001); Fundação de Serralves, Oporto (1991); Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon (1991); CAC do Museu Soares dos Reis, Oporto (1976). He represented Portugal in La Biennale Paris (1969), the Venice Biennale (1976) and the São Paulo Biennale (1977). His public sculptures are in Portugal, Slovenia, England, Ireland, South Korea, Equador, Taiwan, Andorra, Spain and Chile. Significant national public collections include: Fundação de Serralves; Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian; MNAC – Museu do Chiado; Coleção Berardo; Caixa Geral de Depósitos – Fundação Culturgest; Coleção de Arte Contemporânea do Estado; e Casa da Cerca – Centro de Arte Contemporânea. Highlighted international collections: Museo Vostell Malpartida (Malpartida de Cáceres, Spain); Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea (Santiago de Compostela, Spain); and Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation (Los Angeles, USA).

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