A Vontade had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with artist Sidney Cerqueira during his latest trip to Cabo Verde. Check out what this newest artist to join the A Vontade representation roster had to say.
Sidney, you proudly “rep” Guinea-Bissau… At what age did you move to Lisbon?
I was actually born in Lisbon, Portugal to Guinean parents. I was immediately taken to Guinea-Bissau where I was raised until the age of 20. I moved back to Portugal with the aim of completing my secondary studies and ended up staying there.
What is your connection to Cabo Verde?
My maternal great grandmother was from Fogo Island in Cabo Verde and emigrated to Guinea-Bissau. Now I visit the islands about three times per year, usually around exhibitions.
Describe your style or aesthetic.
After experimenting with several techniques ranging from charcoal to oils on canvas, today Sidney is the only visual arts painter in the former Portuguese speaking colonies that creates “Spontaneous Realism,” a style created by the renowned VOKA.
What are the main themes or messages behind your artwork? What do you try to convey through your work?
My canvases are marked by bright colors, and I use a combination of unique brushes and spatulas. I cover themes that I hope to draw the public’s attention to such as domestic violence and child abuse. I express my concern with the plight of all children in the world through the project “Cores de Esperança” (Colors of Hope). I create art studios where children’s paintings can be exposed alongside my own work. A portion of the proceeds are generally traded for school supplies that are later delivered to institutions that offer shelter to underprivileged children. ‘Cores de Esperança” has been implemented in Guinea-Bissau, Cabo Verde, Senegal, Brazil, Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe.
