Born in Angola in the seventies. Lived for a short period of time in Macau and for 18 months in Barcelona. Now, lives and works in Oporto/Portugal

Press Release - April 09

(a minute to) stop measuring is the title of the exhibition from clia Machado that SALA MAIOR GALLERY opens next Saturday, 18th of April
In the last years she has participated in joint exhibitions, contests and prizes, but has been particularly committed in academical activity and the development of a singular artistic work that the Sala Maior Gallery is now proud to show for the first time.
For this exhibition the artist, who also teaches drawing in Universidade Catlica Portuguesa, uses several techniques and materials to think upon the look of each one of us and the society upon others. A look made of measures and absent of affections. A look that many times overrates age, beauty, and fame upon wisdom, love, companionship and solidarity. She uses the artistic tools to accomplish new ways of see giving us the possibility to place face to face and look each other within a shared intimacy ( what we feel, how we feel, what we see, how we look, what leaves marc and the marcs we leave).
Clia Machado uses two female bodies, a young one and an old one, to question herself and make us question about the passing of time, inviting us to look over the signs of the skin and find out the beauty beyond the surface. And this to make people feel the silent tragedy of no girl ever grew age beyond her 18 years, regardless the ruthless passing of time. Its a tribute to all the women that endured a too heavy load remaining strong in spirit and showing an enormous courage, never giving up and still carrying that heavy load with the nobility of a Caryatid.
Using daily and autobiographic referents she makes remarks and observations that, not being provocative, are subtle, critic and ironically direct. I would say that in each of her work we can find a way to combine personal history with distinct stories mixing individual and universal marcs.
The art full of that experience that comes from everyone of us is believable or, at least, should pull the spectator to a highest level of commitment, complicity, respect, interest and willingness to understand.
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