José de Almeida was born in 1965 in Lisbon, but he considers himself a “provincial” world citizen. He says he has no age because for him it is not a result of algebraic sum, but a state of mind. He graduated in Design from the School António Arroio, but he is a man of all trades.
He is a self-taught painter and photographer who has been exhibiting since 2001, with several solo and group exhibitions in painting and drawing. Today, he faces photography as a lover and amateur of this art, and his painting is now built with light through photography. His work is a striking pulse of ideas, analogies, metaphors, and feelings.
He sees painting, drawing, and photography as a cathartic and religious way to connect with the world and with God. His creative process begins with an incubation phase, where a small spark of inspiration is born. He lets thoughts, sensations, and feelings grow, or he uses pure intuition to create an open space that gives birth to his final idea.
In many of his works, he can be seen as master and disciple, photographer and photographed, real person and character. His images have a high visual load, and their various reasons and details elevate us to a brutal surrealism that stirs the emotions of the beholder. His work is both personal and universal.
“To get to the Oasis we must first pass through the Desert.”
José says his work is his greatest master, and light is his great protagonist. He believes that sacrifice is his way, and that force can produce rewarding results. Every shot is like a son to him, something he feeds, nurtures, watches grow, and learns from, and then sees it from without ever truly being separated from it.
His work is a fusion of painting, drawing, and photography, exploring themes of connection, sacrifice, and transcendence. He has exhibited in several solo and group shows and continues to push the boundaries of his art. He sees photography as the poetry of the image, and poetry as the photography of sensations.
Q: What defines José de Almeida’s artistic approach?
A: His unique fusion of painting, drawing, and photography, combined with a deeply philosophical and cathartic creative process. He explores themes of connection, sacrifice, and transcendence, using light as his great protagonist. His work is highly visual, often surreal, and reflects his journey of self-discovery and his desire to connect with the world and with God through art.