Mafalda Gonçalves (Cascais, 1994) develops a practice centred on painting, exploring relationships between color, matter, and memory. A graduate in Fine Arts, she has participated in several group exhibitions in Paris (2023), Germany in Berlin (2026) and Erfurt (2023 and 2025) and several exhibitions in Portugal. Her work investigates the tension between intuitive gesture and formal construction.

Her preference for using essentially construction waste material as a support, in its almost pure state, represents a revaluation of this material. Her work using unconventional supports such as metal or marble plates and different types of stones is a game of duality between a symbol of permanence and ephemeral painting. This correlates with our experience, as our identity is shaped by a set of experiences and memories. The irregular and fragmented surface is a direct reflection of the human condition and a metaphor for the fact that identity is a constantly evolving and constructive process.

On the other hand, we also have conceptual inspiration through the use of photographs found on the street, a kind of preservation of memory that was deliberately rejected, perpetuating the experiences of these people even if they are foreign to us. We can then question whether our memories and experiences are entirely individual or whether they can also live outside of us.

The artist also presents extensive work within the world of urban art, having collaborated with various clients such as the Madrid Metro, Rock In Rio Lisboa, Moraleja Green Shopping Centre, Hotel Osprey Menorca and Aguas do Tejo Atlântico, as well as various municipal and private entities. This type of work can be found in various places in Portugal, Spain, Germany, England and Italy.