Renato Ferrão
Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal, 1975. Lives and works in Porto, Portugal.

Renato Ferrão works since the beginning of the last decade and was recently awarded with Prémio de Artes Plásticas União Latina 2010. The jury underlined the maturity he handles the space, the analysis and original rereading of classical concepts and dynamics of modern sculpture, like weight, volume, tension and fragility, sensitivity and diversity of the chosen materials, as well as the poetic transfiguration of everyday objects.

For the exhibition of the selected artists, Ferrão presented the installation Vida Material, previously presented at Quadrado Azul, and composed by extenders, a chair, a dresser and a plate, displayed as two sculptures in tension. Graduated in sculpture, the artist has been exploring physical laws and internal mechanics of functional objects, in a constant challenge to the viewer, sometimes faced with the threat of danger to their physical integrity. Light is also an element of interest in a practice traversed by experimentation.

The name of Renato Ferrão is also connected with the foundation, with other artists, of one of the most relevant experiences in an alternative circuit of creation and exhibition generated in Porto, along the last decade: the space Salão Olímpico.

Solo Exhibitions (selection)
2012
Peça de substituição, Chiado 8 – Arte contemporânea, Lisbon, Portugal.
2011
Peça sonâmbula, Espaço Campanhã, Porto, Portugal.
2010
Vida material, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, Portugal.
2009
Estúdio, Fundação Carmona e Costa, Lisbon, Portugal.
Episódio 2: Senhor fantasma, vamos falar, Emissores reunidos – Fundação de Serralves, Porto, Portugal.
2008
Fóssil de microhabitat, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
A C ack of ence, A Certain Lack of Coherence, Porto, Portugal.
2007
Impreciso, In Transit, Porto, Portugal (with Nuno Ramalho).
17.38' 51, Projecto Apêndice, Porto, Portugal.
2006
Quem tem olho é rei, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Longa duração, Mad Woman in the Attic, Porto, Portugal.
Group Exhibitions (selection)
2018
Uma Loja, Cinco Casas e uma Escola, Colégio das Artes, Coimbra, Portugal.
2017
Que farei eu com esta espada?, Zaratan - Arte Contemporânea, Lisbon, Portugal.
THEM OR US! A Project on Scientific, Social and Political Fiction, Galeria Municipal do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
2014
Lei de OHN, Museu da Electricidade, Lisbon, Portugal.
2011
Premio União Latina, Centro Cultural de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal.
2010
Display: Objects, Buildings and Space, Experimentadesign, Palácio Quintela, Lisbon, Portugal (with Nuno Ramalho).
2009
A nossa língua não cura, Espaço Avenida 211, Lisbon, Portugal.
Antes de chegarem palavras, Espaço Campanhã, Porto, Portugal.
A Arte e o Seu Resto, XV Bienal de Cerveira, Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal.
2008
part-ilha, Spike Island, Bristol, United Kingdom.
A situação está tensa mas sob control, Arte contempo, Lisbon, Portugal.
2007
Rastos, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Depósito: Anotações sobre Densidade e Conhecimento, Reitoria da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
2006
Busca Pólos, Pavilhão Centro de Portugal, Coimbra, Portugal.
Em torno, Palácio de Cristal, Porto, Portugal (with Nuno Ramalho).
Awards
2011
Prémio De Artes Plásticas União Latina 2010, Portugal.
Collections
Fundação de Serralves, Portugal.
alguns momentos paralisam forças #1, alguns momentos paralisam forças #2, (double piece), 2009. Desk, drawers, extenders. Dimensions variable 
alguns momentos paralisam forças #1, alguns momentos paralisam forças #2, (double piece), 2009. Desk, drawers, extenders. Dimensions variable 
senhor fantasma #1, senhor fantasma #2, (double piece), 2009. Lens (5 dpt), crisp packet (#1 inner surface of golden aluminum; #2 inner surface of silver aluminum), plasticine, halogen lamp, rocco paper, plywood plank, projector 
peça sonâmbula #1, 2011. Wooden cabinet, expanded polystyrene. Dimensions variable 
peça sonâmbula #2, 2011. Bottle, vacuum cups, led, battery 3v. Dimensions variable 
Olho, 2009. Projector / light reflector, aluminum tube, rocco paper, tripod, greaseproof paper. Dimensions variable 
reflexos de mola, 2009. 5 projectors / light reflectors with tripod, rocco paper, 4 double glasses with spacing. Dimensions variable 
cabeça, 2008. Abat-jour, extenders, granite. Dimensions variable 
cabeça, 2008. Abat-jour, extenders, granite. Dimensions variable 
vida material #1, 2008. Cement umbrella base, cans, rubber, extenders. Dimensions variable 
vida material #1, 2008. Cement umbrella base, cans, rubber, extenders. Dimensions variable 
furo #1, 2008. Projector/light reflector with tripod, pvc, laminate covering. Dimensions variable 
vida material #1, 2008. Projector/light reflector with tripod, pvc, laminate covering. Dimensions variable 
vida material #1, 2008. Projector/light reflector with tripod, pvc, laminate covering. Dimensions variable 
um imprevisto #1, 2006. Collage, laminate cover. Diverse dimensions (between 20 x 30 cm and 15 x 22 cm)  
um imprevisto #2, 2006. Collage, laminate cover. Diverse dimensions (between 20 x 30 cm and 15 x 22 cm)  
Peças de substituição #1, 2012. Several components, solder, steel cables, extenders and D/C engines. 340 x 383 x 251cm. Image credits: Rodrigo Peixoto 
Peças de substituição #2 (matriz), 2012. Zincography matrix. 12,5 x 10 x 2,3 cm. Image credits: Rodrigo Peixoto 
Peças de substituição #3 (pearl twins), 2012. Steel cables, D / C engine and photography. 433 x 17 x 15 cm. Image credits: Rodrigo Peixoto 
Peças de substituição #4 , 2012. Carbon paper. 42 x 60 cm (each). Image credits: Rodrigo Peixoto