Description
Lulu Maparangue was born in Maputo in 1982 and is an eclectic painter: a diffusionist in technique, adept at drawing, delicate in the symbolic universe, with a wide range of colour(s) that can be isolated or make up the most vibrant associations. One could say there is a golden pendulum inside Lulu - one that leads him to precisely adjust or adapt the shape necessary to capture the finished portrait of the desired landscape: it can be a woman's body, a child's face, a group of men, a Sun or a Moon. Such a pendulum - or perhaps the diviner's rod, that guides him to reveal water wells one after the other? - such a pendulum is surely the same tool he uses to calibrate the integral blue tone with which he shows us, in a drawing, a detail of everyday life made up of absolute depth; and it is also the one responsible for painting the ochre, vividly portraying the peak expression of heat. In this context, black manifests itself as dashed lines.
Usually, Lulu Maparangue's works exude an exhilarating atmosphere: whether through intense, luminous colours, multifarious assemblages, or the micro-stories he tells on his canvases, his works are evidently a celebration of life. His figures are continuous and sometimes reminiscent of the groups depicted by El Greco.
Works
2021, Maputo
assemblage and acrylic on canvas 200 x 175 cm
"Por Cabo Delgado Somos" (For Cabo Delgado We Stand) and we could also say, let's go, right, Lulu Maparangue? Cabo Delgado, a province in the far northeast of Mozambique, offers the artist a multifaceted landscape, both graceful and fierce, or documentary, where he can depict life and death using green, the colour that alludes to the Earth.
2022, Matosinhos
assemblage and acrylic on canvas 120 x 120 cm
In "Os Viajantes" (The Travellers), Lulu Maparangue uses the aesthetics of Art Brut to comment on the impact of tourism on Africa's natural ecosystems and communities - the "travellers" enjoy the beaches and paradises reserved for them but remain oblivious to the deeper issues affecting the continent.
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Biography
1982 – Maputo, Mozambique
Visual Artist – Assemblage, Painting and Drawing
His journey as an artist began at the age of 7, when he was taken in by the painter Malangatana for the programme set up by UNICEF called "Escolinha Vamos Brincar". This project, aiming for the practice of various cultural activities, from music to painting, gave Lulu his first contact with this vast artistic world, quickly turning art into one of the great passions of his life.
The success of his "slender" sculptures allowed Lulu to achieve recognition: thanks to his small, delicate, and highly complex pieces, in 2003 he was chosen to accompany Malangatana on a trip to Italy. This was an opportunity to acquire teachings, new skills, and new techniques from Malangatana's rich experience and a unique opportunity to get to know Europe.
In a museum in Italy, Lulu came across a work by Picasso that caught his attention because it was different from the ordinary, and after that, Picasso became a reference and a source of inspiration for him. When he returned to Maputo, his goal was to work on and develop his own artistic language: he explored and formalised assemblage works, establishing himself as an artist and standing out in the African artistic scene.
Once Lulu's artistic career was consolidated, he started working as a cultural manager, seeking new talents, contributing to publicise Mozambican artists, and helping, supporting, and promoting their creations, showcasing their works around the world.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 – The Pendulums of Figures, Manoeuvre Gallery, Portugal
WORKSHOPS
2023 – Art Marathon, 5th Gaia International Art Biennial, Lever - Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
2022 – Momentum Mozambique Artist Residency, Matosinhos, Portugal
2003 – Nominated for Artist Residency with Malangatana, Europe, Italy
1987 - 1997 – Let's Play School – Malangatana, Cultural Association of the Airport Neighbourhood, Alto Maé House of Culture, Maputo, Mozambique
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 – 5th Gaia International Art Biennale, Portugal
2022 – Momentum Mozambique, Manoeuvre Gallery, Portugal | Manimalia, Manoeuvre Gallery, Portugal
2012 – Growing Art, Kulugwana Gallery, Maputo, Mozambique
2011 – XI TDM Biennial, National Museum of Art Maputo, Mozambique | Growing Art, Kulugwana Gallery, Maputo, Mozambique
2010 – Growing Art, Kulugwana Gallery, Maputo, Mozambique
2009 – Growing Art, Kulugwana Gallery, Maputo, Mozambique
2008 – Discovery, Alto Maé House of Culture, Mozambique
2007 – Art Centre, Maputo, Mozambique
2006 – Fione Gallery, Maputo, Mozambique
2005 – Hotel Rovuma Gallery, Maputo, Mozambique | Hotel Polana Gallery, Maputo, Mozambique
2004 – Art Centre, Maputo, Mozambique
2003 – Exhibition with Nino Trindade and Dino, Franco-Mozambican Cultural Centre, Maputo, Mozambique
2002 – Mozambican Art - UNICEF, Mozambique
2001 – Mozambican Art - UNICEF, Mozambique
2000 – Solidarity Exhibition: Flood Victims, Maputo, Mozambique
1999 – Matalane Cultural Centre – Malangatana, Mozambique | Musart (National Art Museum), Instituto Camões, Maputo, Mozambique
1998 – Matalane Cultural Centre – Malangatana, visit of the Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio and the Portuguese Prime Minister António Guterres to Mozambique
Exhibitions
Interview
Video
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2021, Maputo
assemblage and acrylic on canvas 200 x 175 cm