Mimi Tavares

(Portuguese – 1962)

Every day - Drawings
February 8^th to March 22^nd 2025

‘Every day’ brings together a set of drawings made daily by the artist from the beginning of 2023 to mid-2024, to which others have been added since 2025.

A self-proposed exercise in representation, it resembles a gallery of delicate, miniaturized portraits apparently taken from nature, but intentionally made through observation mediated by the photographic image. The sections presented in the exhibition take fragments of everyday life centered on the human figure, bodies in action, at rest, which interact occasionally with objects, animals, with us as spectators, questioning us, captivating our gaze beyond the emptiness around us.

In a glass case, what the artist calls ‘buttons’ are arranged: small circles of acrylic paint, dried by cleaning paint jars, which serve as a base for the painting, also done in acrylic, of small figures watching us from the background in which they were born.

But the key moment in the development of this work was when the artist found an old notebook with coloured sheets. Given the plastic value of the ageing of the support material itself, its texture, the way in which the light has shaped the chromatic uniformity of the surface in variations, Mimi Tavares used the primordial drawing materials - charcoal, graphite, sanguine, pastels, but also chalk or coloured pencils - as scratchers. He inscribed figures in the emptiness of the paper, small signs dense with meaning that in themselves concentrate the narrative power of the whole.

They are not drawings made directly from the real world, but they rescue it through photography, and give it back with the sweetness of the line and the miniaturized size, fixing a moment in the frenzy of life in progress. They are portraits because they are recognizable, but above all they are agents of fiction, reflections on time and drawing sparks. The strength lies in what is constructed, but also in the suggestive power of absence, of everything that could fit into the image, in that spaciousness of the sheet of paper. Why can't we see beyond the figure?  What could be there? What is denied? Or what is affirmed in the planimetry of this possible everything, which is beyond ?

We can think of the artist's other works. The paintings full of silences. How they give us the opposite of what we see here. Architectural spaces empty of people, immobilizing the experiences of people we don't see. In the landscapes, the exterior appears with the same scenographic outline and the figures, if they appear at all, give little encouragement to this reference.

Here, the intention to draw people is not based on any anatomical appeal, but on the intimacy established with what is captivating. Firstly in the choice of images (family photographs, unfamiliar faces), and then through the daily exercise of drawing, in the representation of postures, micro-expressions, clothes that reveal contexts, small plots to which the titles add meaning. Still leaving everything open. The days of the hand and drawing.

She has exhibited regularly since 1983 and is represented by Galeria Monumental, in Lisbon and Galeria Sete in Coimbra. She has developed painting and drawing, and is represented in various public and private collections,
including CACE, MNAC, CGD and the António Prates Foundation.

Mimi Tavares - CV


Lives and works in Lisbon
Graduated in Painting from FBAUL in 1988.
Illustration course at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation with the painter Maria Keil in 1982.
She has been teaching painting and drawing since 2003.
Represented by Galeria Monumental, Lisbon and Galeria Sete, Coimbra.


Group Exhibitions:

1983-”6X5”-Galeria Gesto-Arte,Évora
1984-”Novos novos”-S.N.B.A.,Lisboa
-”1ª Feira Franca de Arte de Lisboa”-Galeria Olharte,Lisboa
1985-”Grupo de Enzimas,Novo Núcleo Pulposo”-E.S.B.A.L.,Lisboa
1987-”Obra gráfica de artistas contemporâneos portugueses”-Buenos Aires,Argentina
-Colectiva de pintura-Galeria de S.Bento, Lisboa
-”Quadros de uma exposição”-Palácio da Cidadela,Cascais
-”Marca Madeira-Festival de arte contemporânea”-Funchal,Madeira
1988-”Sete jovens pintores”-Galeria de S.Bento,Lisboa
-”Oitenta anos de Arte Moderna Portuguesa”-Galeria de S.Bento,Lisboa
-”Plurais e diferentes”-Galeria Espiral e Palácio Egipto,Oeiras
-”Forum de Arte Contemporânea I”-Forum Picoas,Lisboa
-”Colectivo Ilustre”-Galeria Arcada,Estoril
-”FIL Cultura”-Stands das galerias Arcada e S.Bento-F.I.L. Lisboa
1989-”Jovens artistas portugueses”-Château de Vianden e
Château de Bourglinster,Luxemburgo
-”Grupo Escrúpulos”(com Xana, Patrícia Garrido e Pedro Silva Dias)-Instalação-Central Tejo,Lisboa
-”Forum de Arte Contemporânea II”-Forum Picoas,Lisboa
-”Rigorosamente alguidares com água”-Instalação,Grupo Escrúpulos-Praça Gil Vicente,Coimbra
-Pintura e Escultura(artistas da galeria)-Galeria de S.Bento,Lisboa
1990-”EIAM 90”(Exposição Ibérica de Arte Moderna)-Cáceres,Campo Maior,Badajoz
-”Obras do acervo da galeria”-Galeria de S.Bento,Lisboa
1991-”Pintura e Escultura de Jovens Artistas Portugueses”-Salão de Exposições Diamante,Barcelona
-”Pintura e Escultura de Jovens Artistas Portugueses”-Centro Cultural do Banco do Brasil,Rio de Janeiro
-”Jardim do Tabaco”-Pavilhão AB do Jardim do Tabaco,Lisboa
-”Arte com Timor”-Palácio Galveias,Lisboa
1994-”Independent Worm Saloon”-S.N.B.A.,Lisboa
1995-”Foro Atlântico de Arte Contemporânea”-Galiza
1996-”ARCO´96”(Cutting Edge)-”Virtual Shop”,Stand da Galeria Zé dos Bois--Madrid
-”Titanium Exposé”-Galeria Graça Fonseca,Lisboa
-”Zeitgenössische Kunst aus Portugal”-Galeria Marie-Louise Wirth,Zurich
1997-”Marca Madeira 97”-Stand da Galeria Monumental,Funchal
-”FIIC 97”(Feira Internacional das Indústrias da Cultura)-Stand da Galeria
Monumental,Lisboa
1998-”ARCO 98”-Stand da Galeria Monumental,Madrid
1999-”Artistas com Timor”-Armazém 7 do Porto de Lisboa
2001-”The Sparring Partners Academy Art Collection”-Galeria Zé dos Bois,Lisboa
- Fundação António Prates-Um Projecto para Ponte de Sor”-MEIAC,Badajoz
2002-VII Bienal de Artes Plásticas “Cidade de Montijo”-Aqua(Cais dos Vapores),Montijo
-Colectiva-Galeria Municipal do Montijo
2003-”ARCO 2003”-Stand da Galeria Monumental,Madrid
2004 -”A Loja do Lopes”-Armazém 7,Lisboa
-”Arte Lisboa 2004”-FIL,Parque das Nações,Lisboa
2005-”Arte Lisboa 2005”-FIL,Parque das Nações,Lisboa
“Iniciativa X”-Arte Contempo,Lisboa
2006-”Iniciativa X”-Arte Contempo,Lisboa
2013-“#4AAA”- Atelier de João Figueiredo, Lisboa
“Pudim Plano”- Atelier Lamas, Lisboa
2014-“#5AAA”-Atelier da Travessa, Lisboa
-“12x12”- Atelier da Travessa, Lisboa
2015-“12X12”- Atelier da Travessa, Lisboa
- Pequenos Formatos- Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2016-“12X12”- Atelier da Travessa, Lisboa
- Pequenos Formatos- Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2017-“Justmad8”, Madrid
-“Figurar é lembrar é transformar”- Galeria Sete, Coimbra
-“12X12”-Galeria Arte Graça, Lisboa
-“Pequenos Formatos”-Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
-“Arte de Bolso”-Galeria Sete, Coimbra
2018-“Da matéria ao traço”-Galeria Arte Graça
-“12X12”-Galeria Arte Graça, Lisboa
-“Pequenos Formatos”-Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
-“Arte de Bolso”-Galeria Sete, Coimbra
2019- “O Amor é Eterno, enquanto dura” -Espaço Nohso, Lisboa
-“Desde mi ventana veo paisajes y geometrias”-Galeria EnLoop, Madrid
-“Westerly”- Galeria Apteka Sztuki, Varsóvia
-“Para isso temos tempo”-Galeria Arte Graça. Lisboa
-“Amores Perfeitos”-Biblioteca Municipal de Portalegre
-“12X12”-Galeria Arte Graça, Lisboa
-“Pequenos Formatos”-Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
-“Arte de Bolso”-Galeria Sete, Coimbra
2020- “Drawing Room” Art Fair, Lisboa
-“12x12” 2020-Mercado de Santa Clara, Lisboa
-“Arte de Bolso”, Galeria Sete, Coimbra
2021- “Drawing Room” Art Fair, Lisbon
-“Arte de Bolso”, Galeria Sete, Coimbra
-“Pequenos Formatos”, Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2022- “Zoom in Zoom out”, Galeria PeP, MNAC
“Arte de Bolso”-Galeria Sete, Coimbra
2023 – “Una casa, teatro del mundo” Projecto Artist join the Embassy- Residência oficial do Embaixador de Portugal em Espanha, Madrid, Espanha
-“Arte de Bolso”, Galeria Sete, Coimbra
- “Pequenos Formatos”, Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2024-“No Retrovisor”- Colégio das Artes, Coimbra
“Arte de Bolso”, Galeria Sete, Coimbra

Solo Exhibitions

1985-Pintura-E.S.B.A.L.,Lisboa
1989-Pintura-Galeria de S.Bento, Lisboa
1990-”Plastic Fantastic”-Pintura-Galeria de S.Bento ,Lisboa
1995-”Electricity comes from other planets”-Pintura-Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
1997-”Needless to say”- Colagem e desenho-Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
1999-”Wooden Planet”- Pintura-Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
1999-”On-Off”-Pintura- Galeria Paula Fampa, Braga
2001-”Perdidos e Achados”- Pintura (1988-1999)-Museu de José Malhoa, Caldas da Rainha
2003-”Factor Humano”- Pintura-Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2005-”Peças e Acessórios”- Pintura-Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2007-”Vácuo”- Pintura,desenho e colagem-Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2009- “Paredes-meias”- Pintura- Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2012-“Vacant”- Pintura- Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2014-“Baseado em factos reais”- Pintura e objectos -Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2017-“Sala de espera”- Pintura- Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2019-“A vida desfocada”- Pintura- Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2021-“Tempo”- Pintura- Galeria Quattro, Leiria
2022-“Partida”- Desenho-Quarto 22 ,Colégio das Artes, Universidade de Coimbra
-“Câmara Lenta”- Desenho e pintura- MNAC, Lisboa
-“Exílio em casa”- Pintura e desenho- Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2023- “Sons Invisíveis”- Desenho- MNAC, Lisboa
2024-“Nódoa Negra”-Desenho,pintura- Galeria Monumental, Lisboa
2025- “A Porta Aberta” – Tinta nos Nervos, Lisboa


Colections

Caixa Geral de Depósitos
Fundação António Prates, Ponte de Sôr
Coleção de Arte Contemporânea do Estado – CACE
Coleção do MNAC