Nuno Vasa
Arte Institute, with the sponsorship of Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD), is pleased to present visual artist Nuno Vasa at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Nuno Vasa was born in Torres Vedras (Portugal) in 1974. Graduated in sculpture by Escola Universitária das Artes de Coimbra (A.R.C.A – U.E.A.C), he completes his studies in London at Chelsea College of Art & Design. In 2005 he is granted with a scholarship and prize Casa Velázquez (Madrid), city where he represents Portugal in the XIII Estampa. In 2006 he integrates the showcase Contemporary Portugal presented at Vartai Gallery (Lithuania). Among his main projects are Home (Col. IVAM – Institute of Modern Art, Valência), Kiss Me With Red Lips And’ll Never Be the Same (Casa de Velázquez, Madrid) or Possible Dinner (Odminiu Square, Vilnius – European capital of Culture 2009).
His work explores sculpture, video, installation, and recently, product design, category in which he obtained the prize “POPs” Original Portuguese Projects of Serralves Foundation (2012). He’s represented in several public and private collections: Museum of Contemporary Art in Elvas – Collection António Cachola; Art Center ‘Dos de Mayo’ in Madrid (CA2M). In 2012 he’s invited to represent Portugal in the III BID – Iberoamerican Design Biennial. In 2014 he takes part in the exhibition, “Como se pronuncia design em Português? 1980 – 2014”, MUDE Lisboa.
Prazeres 28
Cork Cable Car by Nuno Vasa
The Arte Institute challenged the fine artist and designer, Nuno Vasa, to create an actual size cork tram, to symbolize the power of books and literature in transporting us in the journeys of our imagination, while simultaneously alluding to Lisbon and Fernando Pessoa. The tram conveys Fernando Pessoa’s message which has been used as the Arte Institute’s motto since the beginning…and that is that “the man is the size of his dream”. With this installation, the Arte Institute also intends to show the American public a way of employing traditional Portuguese materials, such as cork. Here this is demonstrated by giving it a modern and contemporary usage.
The creation of this installation had the support of Sofalca, which donated all the cork, as well as TNT.
For more information about Arte Institute´s Program for the festival Iberian Suite at the Kennedy Center, please visit arteinstitute.org/posts/view/776/34
Please check the full Program of the Festival
