Born in 1968 in Lisbon, Portugal. Lives and works in Lisbon.
The practice of Portuguese, Lisbon-based artist Francisco Tropa serves as a perfect contemporary example of what Harald Szeemann described as an individual mythology. Tropa not only creates objects, but he also elaborates the specific constellations of reference in which they are ideally read. Despite the potentially esoteric character of the works, he is not a mystic. His complex practice, which includes sculpture, performance, photography, drawing, and print making, is thoroughly grounded in the history of media he uses, ancient art, philosophy and literature, as well as classical themes such as the memento mori, ritual, gambling, and time. Not so much a practitioner of the contemporary, he is an artist more oriented toward quiddities and origins. He therefore seeks to understand and represent the timeless and essential qualities of art, of what makes art what it is.
Film by Jonathan Sammon
Selected solo exhibitions:
2020
Der im Bart versteckte Schnauzbart – Das Herz und die Lunge, Gregor Podnar, Berlin, Germany
The Heart and the Lungs, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisboa, Portugal.
2019
The Moustache Hidden in the Beard, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
The Pyrgus from Chaves, Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, Portugal.
2018
Le Grand Café, the Moustache Hidden in the Beard, Le Grand Café – Centre d’art contemporain, Saint-Nazaire, France.
ARENÁRIO. Francisco Tropa, Sala Exposicoes Escola des Artes Católica Porto, Porto, Portugal.
2017
La moustache cachée dans la barbe, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, France.
2016
Dânae, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Ladri, Galleria Alessandra Bonomo, Roma, Italy.
Cinema, Appleton Square, Lisbon, Portugal.
2015
Noche Triste, Galerija Gregor Podnar, Berlin, Germany.
TSAE, Musée régional d`art contemporain, Languedoc Roussillon, Serignan, France.
Residency, Atelier Calder, Saché, France.
Sim Não – Oui Non, Moulins de Paillard, Poncé sur le Loir, France.
Protótipos, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, Portugal.
2014
TSAE, Pavilhão Branco, Museu de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
Arénaire, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, France.
2013
TSAE – Trésors submergés de l’ancienne Egypte, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, La Verrière, Brussels, Belgium.
Gigante, Performance au Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France.
Francisco Tropa, Galerija Gregor Podnar, Berlin, Germany.
Terra platonica, Caterina Tognon, Palazzo da Ponte di calle del Dose, Venice, Italy.
2012
Museu, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Flowers, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Stele, Fundação Leal Rios, Lisbon, Portugal.
2011
Scenario, Official Portuguese Representation, 54th Venice Bienniale, Venice, Italy.
Tali, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Literal, Circular – Festival de Artes Performativas (with Laurent Pichaud), Vila do Conde, Portugal.
2010
Farol and Giant, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, Portugal.
Scripta, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, Portugal.
Giant, Auditório do Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves, Porto, Portugal.
O vapor que se eleva do arroz enquanto coze, Auditório do Museu de Arte Contemporânea, Serralves, Porto, Portugal; Beursschouwburg, Brussels, Belgium/ Appleton Square, Lisbon, Portugal. (with Osso Exótico)
2009
Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal.
Distrito 4 Contemporary Art Gallery, Madrid, Spain.
Avenida 211, Lisbon, Portugal.
2008
Submerged Treasures of Ancient Egypt, Chiado 8, Lisbon, Portugal.
The Assembly of Euclid, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
2007
The Assembly of Euclid, Matadero, Madrid, Spain.
Francisco Tropa, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, Portugal.
2006
The Mark of the Breast, Culturgest, Porto, Portugal.
The Cyclistʼs Trance, Gallery Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
2005
The Assembly of Euclid, Lisbon Photo, Cordoaria Nacional, Lisbon, Portugal.
Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal Site, Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, Algarve, Portugal.
2003
LʼOrage, Centro de Arte Moderna, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal.
Selected group exhibitions
2019
La mesure du monde, Musée régional d’art contemporain Occitanie, Sérignan, France.
2018
Recollection – A Journey After 28 Years, PROYECTOSMONCLOVA, Mexico City, Mexico.
Germinal, Galeria Municipal do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Sculpter (faire à l’atelier), Frac Bretagne, Rennes, France.
La Pergola. Accrochage des collections, Musée Régional D’Art Contemporain Occitane/ Pyrénées – Méditerranée, Sérignan, France.
Variations portugaises, Abbaye St André – Centre d’art contemporain, Meymac, France.
Estudos do Labirinto, Museu Nacional de Etnologia, Lisbon, Portugal.
2017
O BIGODE ESCONDIDO NA BARBA, Fundação Carmona e Costa, Lisbon, Portugal
Über das fügen der Dinge – Par Raccroc, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, France.
Vantablack, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, France.
2016
Shadows, masks and puppets from the Museu da Marioneta collection, Galeria do Torreão Nascente da Cordoaria Nacional, Lisbon, Portugal.
All Heritage is Poetry, Fundação Eugénio de Almeida, Évora, Portugal.
Materiais Transitórios, The PLMJ Foundation Collection, Lisbon, Portugal.
2015
Anatomie de L’Automate, La Panacée | Centre de culture contemporaine — Montpellier, France.
Eppur si muove (And yet it turns). Art et technique, un espace partagé, Mudam Luxembourg – Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
The Secret and Abiding Politics of Stones, Casa del Lago UNAM, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico.
2014
The Promise of Multiple Temporaries, Parc Saint Léger Centre d’art contemporain, Pougues-les-Eaux, France.
2013
J’ouvre les yeaux et tu es là, MUDAM, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Arte y Óptica, Espacio Fundación Telefónica, Lima, Peru.
El instinto olvidado, Labor, Mexico.
Nouvelles impressions de Raymond Roussel, Palais de Tokyo (with Pedro Morais, Jorge Queiroz and André Maranha), Paris, France.
2012
Dieu est un fumeur de Havanes, MUDAM Collection, MUDAM, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Les Prairies, Ateliers de Rennes – biennale d’art contemporain, Rennes, France.
2011
Locus Solus. Impressions of Raymond Roussel, National Museum Art Centre Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain.
Artists Collective, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, Portugal.
Untitled, 12th Istanbul Biennale, Istanbul, Turkey.
2010
O vapor que se eleva do arroz enquanto coze, Auditorium, Serralves contemporary art Museum, Porto, Portugal.
B&W, La Caja Negra, Madrid, Spain.
2009
Avenida 211, Lisbon, Portugal.
2008
Submerged Treasures of Ancient Egypt, Chiado 8, Lisbon, Portugal.
Avenida 211, Lisbon, Portugal.
Exótico, Festival Trama, Porto, Portugal.
Articulations, Fábrica da Cerveja, Faro, Portugal.
Order Form, Livraria Assírio & Alvim, Lisbon, Portugal.
2007
À Propos des Lieux dʼOrigine, MUDAM, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Toll Free: Serralves at Algarve, Convento de Santo António, Loulé, Portugal.
2006
Yes No, Auditorium, Serralves contemporary art Museum, Porto, Portugal.
2005
Lachrymose, Galeria Lino António, Lisbon, Portugal.
2003
Dreams and Conflicts, 50th Venice Biennial, Venice, Italy.
2002
1⁄2 Figure, with Projecto Teatral, The Days of Tavira, Tavira, Portugal.
2001
Ghost, EDP. Arte, Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, Lisbon, Portugal.
Lux Claustri, Mixture + Confrontation, Central Eléctrica do Freixo, Porto, Portugal.
2000
Manifesta, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Science & Vie, Greenspaces, Estufa Fria, Lisbon, Portugal.
The Perfumed Beggar, Deposit, Casa Fernando Pessoa, Lisbon, Portugal.
Dead Imagination, with osso Exótico, Les Voûtes, Paris, and Institut Franco-Portugais, Lisbon, Portugal.
Survolée, with Osso Exótico, Nouveaux Rituels, Bordeaux, France.
1999
Piece, with Lourdes de Castro, São Paulo Biennial, Brazil Price União Latina, Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal.
Maia Biennial, Portugal Signs of Life, Melbourne Biennial, Melbourne, Australia.
1998
Wedding Shot, Gallery da Mitra, Lisbon, Portugal.
Drawing, Biennial das Caldas da Rainha, Portugal Budha; Delay, Fundação de Serralves, Porto, Portugal.
Shower, Teatro Nacional de S. João, Porto, Portugal.
1997
Casalinho Project, Alpiarça Mussels on the Swing, União Latina, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal Hors catalogue, Maison de la Culture de Amiens, France Breath; 3 Arrows, Amstelveen Art Prize, Netherlands.
1996
Unlocatable, boqueirão da praia da galé, 5, Lisbon; Peninsulares, Gallery Fúcares, Madrid, Spain.
Dust Observatory, Containers 96, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ambulatory At.Re., Escola António Arroio, Lisbon, Portugal.
Eye Diseases; Insects Observatory, More Time: Less History, Fundação de Serralves, Porto, Portugal.
1995
Fishing Floats, Art Focus, Tel Aviv, Israel.
1993
Glass of Water, Ar.Co, Lisbon, Portugal.
At.Re., Estufa Fria, Lisbon, Portugal.
Glass Sheet, Centa, Vila Velha de Ródão, Portugal.
1992
Demonstration of Diffraction Using Water Waves, boqueirão da praia da galé, 5, Lisbon, Portugal.
Centro de Arte Moderna da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal.
Galerie Janine Mautsch, Köln, Germany.
1 Square Metre, with André Maranha, Botanical Garden of the Faculdade de Ciências de Lisbon, Portugal.
1991
Galeria Monumental, Lisbon, Portugal.
Public Collections
Fundação de Serralves, Porto, Portugal.
Fundação Leal Rios, Lisbon, Portugal.
Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento, Lisbon, Portugal.
CAM – Centro de Arte Moderna da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal.
Fundação EDP, Lisbon, Portugal.
Caixa Geral de Depósitos
Banco Privado
Direção-Geral das Artes, Lisbon, Portugal.
Fundação PLMJ, Lisbon, Portugal.
Ar.Co – Centro de Arte e Comunicação Visual, Lisbon, Portugal.