Francisco Tropa
Lisbon, Portugal, 1968. Lives and works in Lisbon.
Sculpture has been a permanent interest in the artistic practice of Francisco Tropa, who works since the beginning of the 90s and has gained a significant attention by institutions and the critique. Representing Portugal in the 2011 edition of Venice Biennale, he also participated in Rennes Biennial (2012), Istanbul Biennial (2011), Manifesta (2000), Melbourne Biennial (1999) and São Paulo Biennial (1999).
Several media are used by Tropa – sculpture itself, drawing, performance, photography or film – to convene a series of reflections introduced by the different traditions of sculpture. Subjects such as body, death, nature, landscape, memory, origin or time, are always present in his works, in an endless process of projection of references from the history of art, from other art works, from previous works of the artist, and from specific authors.
Notions of device and spectator are also fundamental to understand his practice, which defies all the traditional categories of art, its representation and perception.
Solo Exhibitions (selection)
2023
Fortress of Loneliness, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon.
Exhibitions and solo projects (selection)
2022
Che Vuoi?, Le Creux de L'Enfer, Thiers, France.
The Lung and the Heart, MAM - Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, France.
2021
Polaris, Galeria da Casa A. Molder, Lisboa, Portugal.
2020
O Bigode Escondido na Barba - O Coração e os Pulmões, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, Portugal.
Der im Bart versteckte Schnauzbart - Das Herz und die Lunge, Galerie Gregor Podnar, Berlin, Germany.
2019
The Pyrgus from Chaves, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal.
2018
L'Invitation aux Musées, Centre Nationale de la Danse, Paris, France.
Arenário, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Porto, Portugal.
2017
La Moustache Cachée dans la Barbe, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, France.
O Bigode Escondido na Barba, Fundação Carmona e Costa, Lisbon, Portugal.
2016
Cinema, Appleton Square, Lisbon, Portugal.
Ladri, Galleria Alessandra Bonomo, Rome, Italy.
2015
Noche Triste, Gregor Podnar Gallery, Berlin, Germany.
TSAE: Trésors Submergés de l’Ancienne Égypte, Musée régional d'art contemporain, Languedoc Roussillon, Serignan, France.
Sim Não (Oui Non), Les Moulins de Paillard, Paillard, Poncé Sur Le Loir, France.
Protótipos, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, Portugal.
2014
TSAE: Tesouros submersos do antigo Egipto: apresentados por Francisco Tropa, Pavilhão Branco, Lisbon, Portugal.
Arenaire, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, France.
2013
TSAE, Trésors Submergés de l’ancienne Egypte, La Verrière Hermès, Brussels, Belgium.
Gregor Podnar Gallery, Berlin, Germany.
Terra Platónica, Caterina Tognon Gallery, Venice, Italy.
2012
Museu, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Flowers, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Stela, Fundação Leal Rios, Lisbon, Portugal.
2011
Scenario, Official Portuguese Representation, 54th Venice Biennale, Italy.
Untitled, 12th Istanbul Biennial, Turkey.
Literal, Circular – Festival de Artes Performativas, Vila do Conde, Portugal (with Laurent Pichaud).
Tali, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
2010
Scripta, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, Portugal.
Farol, Natureza Morta, 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 de Serralves, Porto/ Beursschouwburg, Brussels, Belgium/ Appleton Square, Lisbon, Portugal (with Osso Exótico).
2009
Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal.
Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Galería Distrito Quatro, Madrid, Spain.
2008
Tesouros Submersos do Antigo Egipto, Chiado 8 Arte Contemporânea, Lisbon, Portugal.
The Assembly of Euclid (final), Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Festival Trama, Porto, Portugal.
2007
The Assembly of Euclid, Matadero, Madrid, Spain.
The Cyclist’s Trance, Livre Circulação: Serralves no Algarve, Convento de Santo António, Loulé, Portugal.
Traço sobre um muro, Circular – Festival de Artes Performativas, Vila do Conde, Portugal.
2006
The mark of the Breast, Culturgest, Porto, Portugal.
Figura sentada; Homem em erecção; Tiro inflectido; O Gigante, Teatro Rivoli, Porto, Portugal (with André Maranha).
The Assembly of Euclid: The Cyclist’s Trance, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Porto, Portugal.
Yes No, Auditório do Museu de Serralves, Porto, Portugal (with other artists).
Group Exhibitions (selection)
2022
Entre o Céu e a Terra, Igreja das Domínicas, Elvas, Portugal.
Les Péninsules démarrées, Frac Nouvelle - Aquitaine MÉCA | Bordeaux, France.
Les Péninsules démarrées 2022.09.15—2023.02.25, Frac Nouvelle - Aquitaine MÉCA | Bordeaux, France.
2021
Luminous Matter, Museu Berardo, Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal.
Pitching itself a tent where all may enter, Quinta do Quetzal, Portugal.
Flora, Atelier Museu Júlio Pomar, Lisbon, Portugal.
2020
Que horas são que horas - Uma galeria de Histórias, Galeria Municipal do Porto, Portugal.
Infinite Sculpture. From the Antique Cast to the 3D Scan, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal.
FOUR FLAGS, Galeria Zé dos Bois, Lisbon, Portugal.
Constellations III: a choreography of minimal gestures, Museu Berardo, Lisbon, Portugal.
Anuário 19, Palácio das Artes, Porto, Portugal.
2019
Sculptures Infinies, Fondation Calouste Gulbenkian, Délégation en France, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France.
Deep deep down, far far in (and out), Leal Rios Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal.
Criteria, Galeria do Torreão Nascente da Cordoaria, Lisbon, Portugal.
2018
Transantiquity, Galeria Municipal do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Escutar as Águas - Obras da Coleção Schneider e de artistas portugueses, Museu do Dinheiro, Lisbon, Portugal .
Intersticial: Diálogos no espaço entre acontecimento I e II, Núcleo de Arte da Oliva, São João da Madeira, Portugal .
Variations Portugaises, Centre d’art contemporain, Meymac, France.
2017
10.000 Anos depois entre Vénus e Marte, Galeria Municipal do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Uma Fresta de Possibilidade - Duas Colecções em Diálogo, Fórum Eugénio de Almeida, Évora, Portugal.
Vantablack, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, France.
Über das Fügen der Dinge - Par Raccroc, Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris, France.
2016
El Mundo Guarda la Memoria de Todos los Rastros. CV Colección, Centro de Arte Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain.
A Arquitectura dos Artistas, Atelier Museu Júlio Pomar, Lisbon, Portugal.
Convidados de Verão, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal.
Sombras, Máscaras e Títeres da Colecção do Museu da Marioneta, Galeria do Torreão Nascente da Cordoaria Nacional, Lisbon, Portugal.
Todo o Património é Poesia, Fórum Eugénio de Almeida, Évora, Portugal.
João Maria Gusmão + Pedro Paiva e Francisco Tropa - Colecção António Cachola, Chiado 8, Lisbon, Portugal.
Materiais Transitórios - Núcleo de Escultura da Colecção da Fundação PLMJ, Sociedade Nacional de Belas Artes, Lisbon, Portugal.
2015
Anatomie de l'Automate, La Panacée - Centre de Culture Contemporaine, Montpellier, France.
The Secret and Abiding Politics of Stones, Casa del Lago UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico.
Eppur si muove- Art et Technique, Un Espace Partagé, Mudam Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Sculptures also die, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, Italy.
2014
João Botelho: I would only believe in a god who could dance, Plataforma das Artes e Criatividade \ Centro Internacional das Artes José de Guimarães, Portugal.
The Registry of Promise: The Promise of Multiple Temporalities, Parc Saint Léger - Centre d'art contemporain, Pougues-les-Eaux, France.
2013
J’ouvre les yeux et tu es là, MUDAM, Luxembourg.
Chantiers d'Europe, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France.
Arte y Óptica, Espacio Fundación Telefónica, Lima, Perú.
Des gestes de la pensée, La Verrière Hermès, Brussels, Belgium.
El instinto olvidado, Labor, Mexico.
Nouvelles impressions de Raymond Roussel, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, France.
2012
Ateliers de Rennes - biennale d'art contemporain, Rennes, France.
Out of range, Roma Contemporary, Rome, Italy.
3 moscas, Auditório do Museu de Serralves, Porto, Portugal (with Pedro Morais, Jorge Queiroz, André Maranha and Bonecos de Santo Aleixo).
Locus Solus. Impressões de Raymond Roussel, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves, Porto, Portugal.
knell dobre glas, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon/ Porto, Portugal.
2011
Locus Solus. Impresiones de Raymond Roussel, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain.
2008
Avenida 211, Lisbon, Portugal.
Articulações, Fábrica da Cerveja, Faro, Portugal.
Nota de encomenda, Livraria Assírio & Alvim, Lisbon, Portugal.
2007
Portugal Agora – À Propos des Lieux d’Origine, MUDAM, Luxembourg.
Collections
Fundación María Cristina Masaveu Peterson, Spain.
Fundação de Serralves, Portugal.
Fundação Leal Rios, Portugal.
Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento, Portugal.
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Portugal.
Fundação EDP, Portugal.
Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Portugal.
Banco Privado Português, Portugal.
Direcção-Geral das Artes, Portugal.
Fundação PLMJ, Portugal.
Ar.Co, Portugal.
MUDAM, Luxembourg.
Fundação Carmona e Costa, Portugal.
Fundación ARCO, Spain.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA.
Museu Reina Sofia, Spain.
CNAP (Centre National des Arts Plastiques), France.
Colecção da Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, Portugal.
Colecção do Município do Porto, Portugal.
Chas, 2018. Wood, sand and brass + photograph mounted on screen printed background. Variable dimensions. Image credits: Filipe Braga
The Heart and the Lungs, 2019. Image credits: Filipe Braga
The Heart and the Lungs, 2019. (detail). Image credits: Filipe Braga
The Heart and the Lungs, 2019. (detail). Image credits: Filipe Braga
Talus, 2019. Painted bronze. 33 x 41 x 46 cm. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Exhibition view "The Moustache Hidden in the Beard", Quadrado Azul, Porto, 2019. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Mask, 2019. Painted bronze. 29 x 11 x 9 cm. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Horizonte artifical, 2014. Bronze, aluminum, mirror and printed design. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Dânae, 2016. Concrete, wood, copper and water. Variable dimensions. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Dânae, 2016. Concrete, wood, copper and water (detail). Image credits: Filipe Braga
"Protótipos" View Exhibition, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, 2014. Image credits: Teresa Santos / Pedro Tropa
"Protótipos" View Exhibition, Galeria Quadrado Azul, Lisbon, 2014. Image credits: Teresa Santos / Pedro Tropa
Untitled, 2007. Glass, bronze and linen rope. Suspended piece. Variable dimensions. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Untitled, 2007. Glass, bronze and linen rope. Suspended piece. Variable dimensions. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Glass of water, 2003. Glass and wooden box. 46 x 52 x 52 cm . Image credits: Filipe Braga
Mask, 2007. Bronze. 41 x 27 x 11 cm. Image credits: Filipe Braga
. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Untitled, 2011. Painted iron. 114 x 88 x 0,5 cm. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Vanitas, 2004. Wood and iron. 51 x 40 x 70 cm
Une vraie vie d’homme, 1997. Acetate sheet, snail, silk yarn. Image credits: Teresa Santos / Pedro Tropa
Une vraie vie d’homme, 1997. Acetate sheet, snail, silk yarn. Image credits: Teresa Santos / Pedro Tropa
1/2 figura, 2003. Clay and bronze. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Scenario, Official Portuguese Representation, 54th Venice Biennale, 2011
Scenario, Official Portuguese Representation, 54th Venice Biennale, 2011
Farol, 2010. Two elements (two projections, beech easel, brass and glass). Variable dimensions
Farol, 2010. Two elements (two projections, beech stand, brass and glass). Variable dimensions
Giant, 2006. Bronze. Variable dimensions. Image credits: Teresa Santos / Pedro Santos
Giant, 2006. Bronze. Variable dimensions. Image credits: Teresa Santos / Pedro Santos
Scripta. Bronze. Variable dimensions. Image credits: Filipe Braga
Instalation view "O Pyrgo de Chaves", Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. Image credits: Teresa Santos