RICARDO CRUZES IS A DESIGNER AND VISUAL ARTIST WHO EXPLORES DIVERSE IMAGETIC UNIVERSES, INVESTIGATING POPULAR AND SOCIAL THEMES BUT ALSO THE ANTAGONISMS OF DAILY LIFE

Ricardo graduated in Painting from ARCA in Coimbra and, after completing his 5-year degree, studied web design for a year at ETIC Lisbon. Serving as director and designer in his design and software companies, he implemented projects for clients such as BP-British Petroleum, Banco Santander, Montez Champalimaud, and J. Walter Thompson. The website he designed for the National Museum of Archaeology was UNESCO-awarded (1st place worldwide in the Museums and Heritage category). Balancing between conceptually simple approaches with relatively direct messages and intuitively extravagant interventions, Cruzes engages with color, drawing, and scale, often collaborating with other artists. He is a resident artist at LAC-Laboratório de Atividade Criativas in Lagos and co-curator of the exhibitions promoted annually by this collective in Portugal. Collaborative projects include “Cruzes + Vargas = 3” (Portugal <> Kuwait) with the Architect Rui Vargas, “Hyperactive Memory Ruins” (Portugal <> Norway) with the sculptor Joel Arantes, and “HighTide, Low Tide. The time and space in between” with Jason Mcglade (Berlin).

Artistic CV

2024

- “Uma Manifesta Acção”, exhibition by Cruzes + Vargas featuring Joel Arantes (Norway), at Lagos Cultural Center, curated by Cláudia Melo;

- "High Tide, Low Tide - the time and space in between". Artistic Residence with Jason McGlade (Berlin) in Lagos/Portugal with Meia Praia community;

- “Lúpulo”, collective exhibition, by LAC, at Faro, Beer Factory;

- “Marmotto”, collective exhibition, by Sciena (Algarve University), at Faro, curated Mariana Machado (Dona Edite);

- “Coletivo Corrente de Ar”, collective exhibition, Beato Innovation District, at Lisbon, curated Mariana Baião Santos and Rita de Almeida;

- “Uniões de Facto”, collective exhibition, by LAC, at Oporto;

- “Sulfúrea”, collective exhibition, by LAC, at Caldas da Rainha.

2023

- Group exhibition, “Open Day” ADAO and LAC, Barreiro;

- Ricardo Cruzes + Rui Vargas, “Construções na Areia” at Gama Rama gallery, Faro;

- Group exhibition, “Água Forte” at Museu do Hospital Termal das Caldas da Rainha, Caldas da Rainha;

- Group exhibition, “Ponto de Fuga” at 289 gallery, Faro (participation and co-curatorship with Pedro Correia);

- Group exhibition, “Viagens” at Ermida de São Roque, Tavira, with Rodrigo Gomes, Mateus Verde and Nuno Murta. Curatorship by Luís Fernandes (gnration, Braga). Exhibition as part of the selection for the Magalhães Project, implemented by Museu Zero and financed by the Instituto Lusíada de Cultura-ILC. Rotation/exhibitions planned between Portugal and Spain;

- Ricardo Cruzes + Rui Vargas, “Cidade Indómita” at A Sede gallery, Porto;

- Ricardo Cruzes + Rui Vargas, “Beyond Architecture“ - Group exhibition and event by Maracujália, at Casa da Arquitetura, Matosinhos. Participation of: Ana Aragão, Corpo Atelier, Cruzes + Vargas, experimental +, Fala, Francisco Costa, Mafalda Mendonça, Maria Souto Moura, Miguel Gomes + Mariana Lopes, Nuno Pimenta, Nuno M. Sousa, Pedro Gramacho;

- Sound design and live presentation in the performance “Salvem os Vissungos”, by Ana Maria Pintora, as part of the Roots residency, at LAC, in Lagos.

2022

- Compostival 2022, “Fake Blonde Creature”, in Peniche. Curatorship by Inês Ferreira-Norman;

- “Dias de Hoje”, at Chasing Rabbits gallery, in Campo de Ourique, Lisboa;

- Hyperactive Memory Ruins. Collaboration with Joel Arantes (Norway) - 1st art activation, at Fonte Coberta, Lagos/Portugal

- Ricardo Cruzes + Rui Vargas, “A Soma das Partes”, at LAC – Laboratório de Actividades Criativas, in Lagos;

- Group exhibition, “Contendores”, at “The Hood” pop up gallery, in Amadora, Lisboa;

- Hyperactive Memory Ruins. Collaboration with Joel Arantes (Norway) - 2nd art activation, commission at Sítio do Tonel, Sagres/Portugal

- Group exhibition “UIVO”, Mostra de Ilustração, at Fórum da Maia, in Oporto.