Student Marco Correia wins 1st Painting Prize

Title of the Work: The Artist
Year: 2025 Dimensions: 150x90cm
Technique:Mixed technique on canvas (collage of drawings on paper: watercolor, violet, pens, colored pencils, acrylic on canvas).

Descriptive Memory:
According to the author of the work, Marco Correia:  “He’s an artist. He has a paintbrush. He has the sun. It’s hot! (laughs). The artist painted a bird. The bird is strong and is lifting the artist! I’m an artist! (laughs)… (and I asked: – But the artist is on a wire!?…”) to which Marco replied: “The artist can’t fall!” 

It is clear that the painting is an interpretation of himself in the context of an artist, and for him, the brush and the beret are the elements that represent the artist (probably due to the social stereotype in the representation of a painter). The sun with a “rain” effect alludes to the intensity of heat. But the most interesting thing is how he creates the visual story: “The artist draws a bird (symbol of freedom) and sees the bird as a pet, just as he sees drawing as the best hobby… The bird (drawing) comes to life and interacts with the artist, lifting it off the ground, but even so, the artist cannot fall (because it is not safe) and represents it suspended on a wire. All of this, painted on a set of works created by Marco as a backdrop for the painting. It is, definitely, the borderless representation of creativity, of limitless imagination, of the artist’s freedom and of art.

In creating this composition, Marco used two drawings that appear in the background of the painting: the artist (top left drawing) and the bird (represented in the penultimate drawing on the right). (See attached photos).

Through painting, drawing and collage, Marco transforms emotions into art, using these techniques as a form of expression, as a means of visual communication, externalizing his unique vision of the world and, at the same time, it is the gateway to understanding his universe.

Title of the Work: The Cat
Year: 2022 Dimensions of the Work: 42×29.7cm
Techniques: Viochene, uni-ball pen without paper

DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY: According to the author of the work, Marco Correia: “At night, cats are afraid of stones in gardens and streets. The cat jumped because it was frightened by the stone. The cat has long fur because it is afraid. It is a small stone! (Laughter).”

Marco associates the brown colour of viochene with darkness and the absence of natural light. His unique graphic identity is manifested in the expressive use of line and the set of lines, which not only define the essence of the elements represented, but also intensify textures, project shadows, give depth to the composition…

BIOGRAPHY: Marco Correia attends CERCIOEIRAS and is passionate about artistic expression. He attends weekly art classes at the School of Arts and Talents of Barcarena, under the tutorship of professor and visual artist Silva Nuno. Marco was congratulated with the 2021 ART and CREATIVITY AWARD from the AFID DIFERENÇA Foundation, CM Almada.

Title of the Work: Arts and Talents
Year: 2025 Dimensions of the Work: 29.7x42cm
Techniques: Viochene, watercolor, uni-ball pen on 300gr paper.

DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY: According to the author of the work, Marco Correia: “It’s a paintbrush or an x-acto knife (which I identify as a knife) and some glue that I use at the Arts and Talents school. Because I like to paint! I’m an artist! (Laughs)” 

Once a week, Marco attends art classes at school. Arts and Talents after dinner (night time), associating the brown color of the viochene with darkness and the absence of natural light, reflecting this perception in its visual expression. Its unique graphic identity is manifested in the expressive use of line and the set of lines, which not only define the essence of the elements represented, but also intensify textures, project shadows, give depth to the composition...