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Joana Vasconcelos brings monumental art to 2025 BRAFA’s Edition

BRAFA Art Fair is delighted to announce the internationally acclaimed Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos as Guest of Honor.

Known for her monumental sculptures and immersive installations, Vasconcelos explores themes
related to the status of women, consumer society, and collective identity. Her vibrant artworks will
promise to add a festive and colorful touch to this milestone edition of BRAFA.

For this historic edition, I am proposing the installation of a body of work that I have been developing in collaboration with Dior.

This series will feature two monumental sculptures, the placement of which will serve as an aesthetic and conceptual focal point at the Art Fair.

Born in Paris in 1971 and raised in Portugal, Joana Vasconcelos has established herself as a formidable force in the contemporary art world, known for her vibrant and thought-provoking works.

The artist has gained international acclaim by seamlessly integrating traditional Portuguese crafts with innovative contemporary materials, effectively blurring the lines between established art and craft practices.

Joana Vasconcelos - Brafa Art Fair 2025
Joana Vasconcelos, Valkyrie Octopus 2015 © Luís Vasconcelos – Courtesy Atelier Joana Vasconcelos

A Vanguard of Feminism and Tradition in Contemporary Art

Her artworks, distinguished by their vivid colors and elaborate details, serve not only as visual delights but also as mediums for introspective dialogue on themes such as feminism, identity, and cultural narratives and her skillfully employs techniques like crochet and embroidery, traditional arts often relegated to the realm of craft, and transforms them into profound statements on modernity and the shifting roles of women in society.

Joana Vasconcelos - Brafa Art Fair 2025
A Todo o Vapor (Amarelo #1, Vermelho #1, Verde #1), 2014, 2012, 2013

Her global exhibitions have been landmarks in the art community, with significant achievements including her groundbreaking solo presentation at the Venice Biennale’s Portuguese Pavilion in 2005, where she was the first woman to exhibit solo. Vasconcelos is renowned for her emblematic installations such as “A Noiva” (The Bride), an imposing chandelier crafted from tampons, and “The Valkyrie,” an installation that dramatically covers a motorcycle with traditional Portuguese ceramics.

Joana Vasconcelos’ solo exhibition “ArtisTree Selects: Enchanted Forest” at Taikoo Place, Hong Kong, in 2024.

In 2024, Vasconcelos continues to push boundaries with her solo exhibition “ArtisTree Selects: Enchanted Forest” at Taikoo Place in Hong Kong. This exhibition further explores pressing social issues through art, focusing on gender roles, consumerism, and the dialogue between tradition and modernity. Her works reflect a deep commitment to addressing and challenging societal norms through the lens of art.

Joana Vasconcelos remains a crucial voice in the discourse of contemporary art, leveraging her influential platform to provoke thought, celebrate cultural heritage, and challenge the traditional perceptions of feminism and Portuguese tradition, but her work not only embellishes physical spaces but also profoundly enriches global cultural dialogues, solidifying her status as one of the most impactful contemporary artists of her time.