João Ribeiro

With a degree in painting from the Lisbon School of Fine Arts, João Ribeiro, who also signs his works as João G. Ribeiro, began exhibiting collectively in 1984, namely at the 2nd Lagos Biennial and the 4th Vila Nova de Cerveira Biennial, and held his first significant solo exhibition, entitled Urban Nirvana, at the S. Bento Gallery, Lisbon, in 1987.

João Ribeiro's work is essentially neo-figurative painting, although he went through a brief phase of abstract painting during the late 1980s, partially resumed from 2023 onwards].

Through his extensive production in the figurative field,

The artist reveals a multifaceted reflection on issues of society, individual and collective identity, politics, history and various other themes, as António Joel mentioned - ‘from his ships with fallen figures to his recent works on Syria, João Ribeiro's multiple creations have been addressed in painting and engraving, often with biting wit and irony, many others with dramatic concern and disquieting criticism, aspects as diverse as the history of Portugal and Portuguese identity, the circus and trained figures, the values of alchemical solutes today, the deficit, Kafkaesque questions, the problem of Palestine or the sanctity of water. ’