A Casita, 2018

Alvarenga Marques, also known as Al.Ma., is a Portuguese artist born in Mozambique, where she spent her childhood. He currently lives and works in Porto, in the north of Portugal, dividing his time between teaching and artistic creation. He obtained his degree in Painting in 1992 at the Escola Superior de Belas Artes do Porto (FBAUP). Since then, he has actively participated in several group exhibitions, workshops and events both in Portugal and internationally, having held several solo exhibitions throughout his career. Soul. is part of a generation of artists who, faced with an overloaded visual world, chose to appropriate and recycle images from different origins. However, his style stands out for a restricted idiosyncratic approach, differentiating itself from the common method of indiscriminate appropriation of references. His work reflects a charming world of childhood, but with a twist: instead of simply appropriating childish references, Alvarenga Marques transforms them into an artistic expression with a unique idiosyncratic orientation. Through his works, Al.Ma. seeks to entangle the viewer in an unexpected environment, often using recognizable images, such as pop icons, contrasted with lesser-known ones, such as typical, regional or tribal references. The work of Alvarenga Marques conveys a nostalgic and metaphysical atmosphere, capturing the viewer's attention and imagination by establishing tensions between different icons and visual contexts. His artistic approach creates a peculiar and thought-provoking environment for those who contemplate his works.