January 2011

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About Nuno de Matos

Born near Lisbon, Luso-French grew up in Saint-Cere at the foot of the workshop of Jean Lurcat museum, then studied at the University of Toulouse before moving to the village of Eus French Catalan.

Early on he was fascinated by the traces of its rock caves of Perigord and Quercy near (mainly those of Pech Merle, and Lascaux), particularly clean and free forms of these paintings. In addition he grew up being bathed by the graphic style of Jean Lurçat, which used the line as a broad term in his monumental and colorful tapestries. He has been drawing since childhood and paints regularly since the 80s. He works different mediums and different styles: minimalist, abstract, tribal symbolism, abstract expressionism ... Human forms, women have been the basis of his early work.

The work of Nuno de Matos (Matox) is part of the post-graffiti movement oriented abstract expressionism. It is largely influenced by tags streets of Bairro Alto, Lisbon and Barcelona Barri Gotic 90 years he still attends regularly. The plot line and structure their work largely because they define spaces unique and multidimensional. Calligraphic techniques and symbolic mark used his graffiti abstract cast at sessions of intense action painting.

In addition and in parallel with this work he developed research in photography, experimental video and motion graphics. He creates designs for dynamic visual light skins with databases lightgraffiti, lightpainting and laser painting.
He realizes desperformances multimedia néograffiti "with monumental projections on raw materials (concrete structures, buildings, monuments, stone wall ...) and 3D installations (projected on screens, curtains) to create a total immersion.

Various architectural projects are developed with consideration of the execution of lines on frosted glass facade, construction ceramics and assemblies trincadis type.

Since his first solo exhibition in 2001, he developed various artistic and cultural projects in Europe, especially in multimedia (video multichannel, laser graffiti skins graphics and video images live mix).
favorite view montmartre
seine
tour eiffel
Eus village
nuno de matos atelier
Graffiti artist Nuno de Matos lives in Eus village, one of the most beautiful village in France near the Spanish border not far from Barcelona. He travels to Paris, the City of Light, to get energy and inspiration.


What are your favourite art museums, galleries and places of cultural interest?

I like to go through the streets without a specific destination because I always find something new. As for my favourite museums: I always go to Beaubourg and to the Palais de Tokyo. There is always something amazing showing there...

How would you pass a perfect day in Paris?

Perfection does not exist, but to feel a great day in Paris is easy. Spring is the best time for me...smell the scent of perfume in the air...stay in a Terrasse and watch the people moving. Go to the Quais de Seine River with a view to the Eiffel tower and then stay quiet watching. It is also important to take time and not do the things as the tourists do - running around from one place to another. To appreciate Paris, you have to be open and take your time. Whenever I see people with their cameras, I ask myself: did they look with their eyes before shooting? What is the objective of the picture?

Which are your favourite restaurants?

For a romantic night, there are many choices in Montmartre...when with a friend, I go to Marais or to Bastille.

What is the one thing you’d like to do in Paris that you haven’t done?

You'll never believe me if I told you that I've never climbed the Eiffel Tower! There is always something wrong whenever I plan to go there.... bad weather…too many people…the strikes…and with all the hindrances I think: tomorrow will be better...

Where do you like to go to escape the city?

To escape the city, I go back home to my sweet and wonderful village in the south, at the feet of Pyrénées mountains. Eus village is also full of artists from all over the world! It's where I have my studio. To create I need both... the city and the wild nature!

What is your favourite view in Paris?

The view from the Sacrée Coeur, in Montmartre - no words can describe the sensation of the city at your feet, it’s just wonderful to stay there and watch.

What are you currently working on?

I’m working in a series of drawings in "asemic writing" something between abstract graffiti and calligraphy. I'm doing laser graffiti as well - creating light immersion for video projections. This January, I’ll have an exhibition in Brussels at galerie22 organised by the Artaq Awards.

After Miami Beach satellite fairs, there were talks on the decline of the current art trend (political and sexual) and declared that ‘graffiti’will rule in the coming years. What is your say?

More and more, ‘graffiti’  are being invited to the most prestigious galleries and museums, I think that peoples view  towards art have evolved. They are now ready to “see” and appreciate this form of expression; but on the other hand, the streets “urban art” is more and more restricted by the authorities in the cities…

What do you think about contemporary Arabic calligraphy in Graffiti art?

If we will go according to art history, after the cave paintings, Arabic calligraphy is the oldest way of abstraction. It’s amazing to observe that the work that was done during all this centuries and also today have their similarities…in medium and expression. For me, it is an important source of inspiration. The title of my last exhibition was “Volubilis” in remembrance of the Moroccan ruins that I visited last year, and also because of the natural vegetal arabesques of the volubilis flower.  Before Graffiti art writing...Arabic calligraphy put” writing” as a major art.

www.matox.fr
“I love to go to Paris...I take the train from Eus village where I live and in a few hours I'm in the heart of the city. It's great to go there to work and for me it is still the culture centre of Europe, even if Berlin and Barcelona are thriving. I get a special feeling in Paris…
Laser graffiti test

http://vimeo.com/17862223
Berlin

http://vimeo.com/18173870

http://vimeo.com/17431843
Click on the links to view Nuno's video clips
Paris

http://vimeo.com/16760093
the atmosphere…elegance…
mix of traditions…luxe…and
"avant-gardism"


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