The artistic spectrum of José Maria Fernandes Marques, who was born in 1939 in Guimarães in northern Portugal and later took the name of his hometown as his artist name, extends across paintings, sculptures, and objects all the way to neon works.
As diverse as Guimarães’ œuvre may seem at first glance, and not just through technical variety, it nonetheless does have a common stylistic idiom based on his use of a very personal symbolic code. Within it he combines highly contrasting elements such as spontaneous painterly gesture and pop-arty motifs with idol-like, profound magic. The origins of this code lie in the art of Africa, and he was first able to learn the ritual traditions of that country’s artists during his military service in the former colony of Angola.
In his efforts to regain archaic art’s cultic structures for postmodern Europe, he sought forms and figures that the artistic process conjured up as an expression of supernatural and ritual power. He found his sources of inspiration, both in the sense of self discovery as well as in the mirroring of other worlds, on extended voyages through the lands of Middle America, Asia, and repeatedly through Africa. Archaic traditions continue to exist there, and he found sensuality and physicality still firmly rooted in the minds of the people.
This simultaneity of overlapping perspectives characterizes Guimarães’ œuvre. His pictorial worlds oscillate between draftsman-like precision and kitschy, shimmering unrestraint, between the banal and fetishist magic, and they charmingly defy complete decryption.

2004

SESI - Cultural-Center, Sao Paulo

2003

Forum Würth, Arlesheim, Basel
Gallery Hélène Lamarque, Paris
Fondation Caixa Nova mit den Stationen / with the venues:
Vigo, Ourense and Pontevedre, Spain
Gallery Neupergama, Torres Novas, Portugal
Museu Municipal, Santiago do Cacém, Portugal
Kulturforum Würth, Coire, Switzerland
Casa da Cultura, Calheta (Madère), Portugal

2002

Hillside Forum/Art Front Gallery, Daikanyama, Tokyo, Japan
Fuji Television Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Instituto Açoreano de Cultura, Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal

2001

Museum Würth, Künzelsau, Germany
Seoul Hilton Gallery/Fondation Akemi, Seoul
Cordoria National, Lisbon
Museu Alberto Sampaio, Guimarães, Portugal

2000

Institut Camoes, Paris
National Library, Lisbon
Museu de Èvora, Èvora, Portugal

1999

Estarreja Town Hall, Estarreja, Portugal
Gallery Joao Graca, Lisbon

1998

Gallery Michael Schultz, Berlin
Convento do Beato, Lissabon
Almansil Cultural Centre, Algarve
Gallery Neupergarna, Torres Novas, Portugal

1997

Modern Art Museum, Mexico
National Museum of Prints, Mexico
Gallery Maeght, ARCO, Madrid
Gallery Maeght, Barcelone

1996

Gallery Michael Schultz, Berlin
Gallery Michael Schultz, Dresden
Foundation Verannemen, Belgium
Gallery Fernando Santos, Lisbon and Porto
FIAC Paris, Gallery Fernando Santos

1995

Gallery René Metras, Barcelone
Art Frankfurt, Gallery Michael Schultz
Casa Fernando Pessoa, Lisbon
J.-M. Gourez Alves, Guimarães, Portugal

1994

Gallery Michael Schultz, Berlin
Leal Senado, Macau, China
Hong-Kong Arts Centre, Hong-Kong
Yan Huang Museum, Peking
Sao Lourenço Cultural Centre, Almansil, Portugal
Gallery Michael Domberger, Filderstadt, Germany
Gallery Quadrado Azul, Porto

1993

Catholic University, Santiago de Chile
Gallery Del Naviglio, Venice, Italy
Contemporary Art Museum, Angoulême, France
Gallery Atlantica, Porto
Gallery Del Naviglio, Milan
ARCO Madrid

1992

Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon and Foundation de Serralves, Porto
Palacio Galveias, Lisbon
Gallery René Métras, Barcelone
Palais National de Sintra, Sintra, Portugal
Gallery Del Naviglio, Milan
Gallery J.-M. Goures Alves, Guimarães, Portugal
Gallery Tàpeçarias de Portalegre, Lisbon

1991

Gallery Catherine Clerc, Lausanne
Burkamura Museum Art Gallery, Tokyo
Foundation Veranneman, Belgium
Gallery 5, Coimbra, Portugal
Gallery Modulo, Lisbon
Salon de Mars, Paris

1990

10th Stockholm Art Fair, Stockholm
Gallery Academia, Salzburg, Austria
Goldman-Kraft Gallery, Chicago
Gallery J.-M. Goures Alves, Guimarães, Portugal
Sao Lourenço Cultural Centre, Almansil, Portugal