CHARACTER 15

The collection “PERSONAGENS” of Teresa Ricca, paintings on schist and inspired by the masks and facial paintings in the world. This project is the result of a technical and formal search started some five years ago. An opportunity to “visit” the caretos [traditional hand-crafted masks] from the Portuguese province of Trás-os-Montes, offered Teresa Ricca the idea of performing a research work which extended to the masks from all over the world and of all times, and that was the motto for this exhibition. In the exhibition “PERSONAGENS” some four dozens of works are presented, which freely intersect the inspirations for the masks, without distinction of origin or time period, with the vibrant and cheerful colours of Minho. Teresa Ricca is a native of Braga, born in 1961, and has long dedicated herself to painting. “Masks on schist or schist under masks? Masks or schist? - Art! Because, quite simply, they communicate with what we were, what we are or what we will be: representations of a scenic reality existing beneath our skin, for that possible dialogue about the self!“ (Vieira Duque)