Maria Leal da Costa

 Curriculum Vitae

She was born in Lisbon in 1964.

Between 1982 and 1986 she studied at College of Fine Arts in Lisbon with a particular focus on sculpture.

She has been exhibiting her works since 1994.

Her studio is located at Quinta do Barrieiro, Marvão, Portugal, where she lives and works since 1999.

Exhibits, events, and public works include:

2013 - Exhibition "Cosy under these wings“ Albergue SCM Gallery, Macau, China; "Old town of Penafiel" public sculpture for the blind and disabled, Penafiel, Portugal.

2012 – Installation “Fly” in the Évora City Council Museum; Exhibition “Royal Flower” in the Odivelas Municipal gallery; Exhibition “A family dialog” The Portuguese Institute of Santo Antonio in Rome, Italy; Exhibition in Albergue SCM/ALB creativeLAB, Macau, P. R. China; Debut Contemporary art gallery, London, England; Exhibition “The beauty of silence in the contemplation” Oleiros City Council Gallery.

2011 – Edition of the book “Flying, poems and pictures resting on the sculptures of Maria Leal da Costa”; Exhibition “The four parts of the spheres” in the São Mamede gallery, Lisboa; Exhibition “The elemental turn”, Convent of São Paulo in the Serra d´Ossa; Exhibition “Ikebana” in the Barcelos City Council Gallery; Collective Exhibition “Art painted in letters” in the Espinho City Council Museum; Public sculpture in honour of “Francisco Caldeira” in Portalegre; Public sculpture in honour of “Vacas de Carvalho” in Portalegre.

2010 - Solo exhibitions in Latvia in the cities of Ventspils, Riga and Jurmala; Exhibition "Ritmanálise" in the Porto City Council; "Justice", Iustitia sculpture prize; Exhibition "Sails are wings that point to the sky" in the Vila Franca de Xira City Council Gallery; "The Best Alentejo Artist" Prize, Mais Alentejo Magazine.

2009 - Joined the program "Vilnius European Capital of Culture" at the invitation of the Meno Nisa Gallery, with the exhibition "Flying", Lithuania; "D'Amor" public sculpture in Évora; "Freedom Sculpture" exhibition in Amadora; "D . Afonso Henriques, sculpture commemorating the 900 anniversary of his birth, Oporto, "Justice," Iustitia sculpture prize.

2008 - "Family" sculpture for UNICEF; "Fernao Mendes Pinto" exhibition in Matosinhos; "Pedro e Inês" exhibition at the Alter Castle; Exhibition tribute to the painter Charrua, Portalegre tapestry Gallery in Lisbon; Exhibition Assembly of the Portuguese Republic.

2007 – Portuguese representive at Stone Sculpture Symposium 2007 Vilnoja, Lithuania, and the organization acquired the sculpture "The Power of Silence"; "Links" exhibition in Seville and Brussels, part of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union and supported by the Foundation Luso-Spanish; "1st Count of Ervideira" public sculpture in Évora; Exhibition in the São Mamede Gallery in Lisbon and Porto.

2006 - "Paul Harris", public sculpture in Lisbon; "Memory Game", public sculpture for the City Hall in Portalegre; "Abanico", sculpture selected for VIII Contest of Plastic Arts of Sala el Brocense Diputación de Cáceres, Spain; "Spring" exhibition at the Library Orfeu in Brussels, Belgium; Exhibition at Gina Sequeira Gallery, California, USA; Belmonte20 exhibition at the gallery in Porto; Exhibition “Vibrações”, Óbidos.

2005 - "Tower of Belem", public sculpture garden for the blind placed directly opposite the monument, Lisbon; Exhibition at the Magia Imagem gallery in Lisbon; exhibition at the Belmonte gallery in Porto.

2004 - 1st place in the XI award Iberian Sculpture Ciudad de Punta Umbria; Awarded in Vigo II Contest Arts Conxemar 2004; Selected fort an international sculpture competition at the Villafranca Culture House de los Barros, Spain; Selected for the Third Biennial International Art de la Mar, in Salinas, Spain; "Chestnut" tree, public sculpture in Marvão; "Lusitano Horse" public sculpture in Portalegre; "Musa", public sculpture in Castelo de Vide.

2003 - 1st Place in the public tender for the concepion, design and implementation of the Alter Real Horse monument; Selected in the X Prize Iberian Sculpture, Ciudad de Punta Umbria, Spain; exhibition at the Convento de Santa Clara Gallery in Portalegre; Exhibition in the Magic Image Gallery in Lisboa; Exhibition at Culture House of Chiclana, Spain.

2002 - "Lusitano Horse" public sculpture in Portalegre; Exhibition at the Alter Coudelaria Stable Gallery; Exhibition in Gallery FTE Ponta Delgada, in Terceira, Azores.

2001 - Exhibition at the International Institute of Macau, the 1st Meeting of the Macanese Communities, Macau, China.

Her work is represented in Portugal and abroad, in private and public collections, including Museums, municipalities, state agencies and private companies, such as (selection) Lisbon City Museum, Museum of Marble Vila Viçosa, municipalities Punta Humbria Spain, Macao China, S. Francisco in the U.S, Vilnius in Lithuania and Lisbon, Portalegre, Marvão, Castelo de Vide, Alter, Evora in Portugal. Banks: BCP, Espirito Santo, Caja Salamanca y Soria. The Portugal Ministry of Culture, Portalegre Polytechnic Institute, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation,International Instititute of Macau, Epul, Badajoz Architect Association.