Nadir Afonso on display at the Rectory of the UP

"100 Anos Nadir, Inéditos", aka "100 years Nadir, Unpublished", this is the motto of the exhibit that marks the kick off of tribute by the University of Porto to the painting Nadir Afonso (1920-2013). This display features over 100 works by Nadir Afonso that are unheard-of to the public eye at the Rectory of the University of Porto, till 23rd December. Nadir Afonso was born in Chaves, up North Portugal and besides being one of the greatest Portuguese artists of the twentieth century, he was one of the illustrious students at the UP. 

The exhibit comprises "a journey through a vast aesthetic repertoire that reinvented modern Portuguese art in the second half of the twentieth century, as well as the vanguard of Europe, namely in France and I the post-war period", as highlighted by the U.Porto.

The only already displayed artwork by the painter is the "Máquina Cinética", which promotes a debate around paintings, gouaches and studies.
Throughout his career, Nadir Afonso produced over 15 thousand works, which are on display in different museums all over the world. 

"This exhibit also celebrates the Escola do Porto as a place of belonging of Nadir Afonso that returns to the city where he graduated, boosting the cultural role of the School either at local levels, or at national and international levels", enhances the U.Porto, which granted the Doctor Honoris Causa title to Afonso in 2012.

Nadir Afonso graduate in Architecture in the School of Beaux Arts of Porto; later on, Afonso set off to Paris where he worked with Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer. In the City of Light, Nadir Afonso studied painting, and was one of the pioneers of kinetic artwork, an artistic movement that derives from any medium that contains movement perceivable by the viewer or depends on motion for its effect, thus extending the viewer's perspective of the artwork and incorporating multidimensional movement. Nadir worked side by side with Victor Vasarely, Fernand Léger, August Herbin and André Bloc.

This exhibit is jointly organised with the Nadir Afonso Foundation and the programme includes both on site activities and events featured in an online format, such as lectures, cinema, guided tours, workshops for families and the granting of an award worth 1000 euros.

The "Prémio Fundação Nadir Afonso/Universidade do Porto" will reward multimédia artwork based on the work of Nadir Afonso.

The exhibit "100 Anos Nadir, Inéditos" can be visited at the Rectory of the University of Porto till 23r December, from Monday to Friday, between 10am and 1pm, and between 2.30pm and 5.30pm. Saturdays, visits are from 3pm to 6pm. For guided tours please refer to the email cultura@reit.up.pt.

Entrance is free.