Artists in residence

VISUAL ARTS

Ana Vila is a visual artist born in 1987 in Buenos Aires. Since 2010, she has been designing experimental projects involving interventions in public and private, natural and urban spaces. She is currently developing projects in Mexico, the United States, China and Argentina.

Painting and its drying times between the liquidity of the material and the final solidification of the surface, become an axis of development of her practice. Water is her main element of inspiration, each piece showing a natural drying process, reflections, light, sensitivity, sensuality. Each material guides a different investigation process. Ana Vila has been working recently with enamel, hydrangea flowers and pieces of bread. It starts from the material to be realized, from chance, from unpredictability, from poetic or symbolic echoes.

It is a work that seeks to make visible the elementary properties of matter through small gestures, as well as the uses and resources of painting, both in a historical sense and in a more exploratory sense. Each work exposes its presence, since it is only an estocastic repetition, a singular but common process.

(Lisbon, Portugal, 1975)

Graduated in Sculpture, postgraduated in Curatorial Studies, from Faculty of Fine Arts – University of Lisbon with a scholarship at HdK – University of Berlin. Is a PhD candidate at College of Arts – University of Coimbra.

Was a technician specialized in contemporary art at IAC: Ministry of Culture (2001-2003), studio manager for Julião Sarmento’s studio (2003-2015), curator and curatorial coordinator at MAAT/ EDP Foundation (2015-2018), chief curator and visual arts’ programmer at CAV – Visual Arts Center, Coimbra (2020-2023).

Works as an independent curator (since 2003), having conceived curatorial and editorial projects for various national and international museums and art institutions, as well as publishing essays and articles in catalogues and monographs. Collaborated with specialized magazines, delivered public talks at conferences, seminars and academic events, carried out guided tours in collaboration with several museums, was a member of juries for Prizes, Research Grants and Artistic Residencies, and conducted research and consultancy for private collections.

Was a member of the Commission for the Acquisition of Contemporary Art for CACE – State Collection (2021-2022) and is currently a member of the Commission for the Acquisition of Contemporary Art for the Lisbon City Council Collection (2023-2025).

She is resident curator and responsible for the mentoring program at RAMA – artistic residencies, was a teacher at FCSH – NOVA, in Lisbon (between 2019-2022) and is currently a teacher at ESAD.CR (since 2023).