Alves Dias
Alves Dias was born in 1952 in Vila de Rei, Portugal.
He finished the Course in Painting at António Arroio Art School in Lisbon, in 1972.
From 1972 to 2008, Alves Dias exercised the profession of teacher in Private and Official Schools in Portugal, teaching the school subjects of Visual Education and Technological Education.
In 1980 he completed the Professional Internship to teach in the domains of Papers, Ceramics, Wood and Textiles.
In 1982 the artist started to show a great interest for Contemporary Tapestry and began to dedicate himself to it, doing researches of new forms in tapestry, creating volumes and textures, with different materials.
In 1984 he took a Course of Training in Technology of Specific Materials at the University of Aveiro, Portugal.
In 1988 Alves Dias directed Tapestry Courses, in Queluz-Portugal and entered Gisella Santi’s Atelier.
In 1989 he returned to his activity as a Painter and took part of the Group 3.4.5. – a Portuguese Contemporary Tapestry Association with a resolute purpose of disclosing the Contemporary Tapestry, guiding classes in Leisure Centers in Official Schools of Portugal.
In 1993 he completed the Course on the Use of Technology in Information and Communication in Educational Context, at the Superior School of Education in Lisbon, Portugal.
From 1997 to 1999, Alves Dias attended the Degree in Teaching of Technological Education, at the Open University, in Lisbon, Portugal.
In 1998 he was invited to be part of the Selection Jury at the IV Contemporary Tapestry Symposium in Loures, Portugal.
From 2011 so far, Alves Dias has been part of the Direction of the Artistic and Cultural Circle Association Artur Bual.
In 2012 he took a Course in Cultural Projects Financing through Sponsorship, Patronage and Crowdfunding, at the Portuguese Language Society in Lisbon, Portugal.
The artist lives and works in Massamá, Portugal.
Exhibitions
Alves Dias held more than thirty individual exhibitions and over one hundred and sixty collective exhibitions in Museums, Municipal Galleries and Private Galleries in Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Canada, France and Macau.
He participated in the ARTELAB, Tapeçaria Contemporânea, exhibitions organized by Faculdade de Belas-Artes - Universidade de Lisboa:
2015 - "UR Trilogia de Mundos", Museu da Tapeçaria de Portalegre - Guy Fino, Portalegre.
2016 - "Mitos e Rituais da Tapeçaria Contemporânea", Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo.
2017 - "Terra Incógnita", Museu da Tapeçaria de Portalegre - Guy Fino, Portalegre.
2019 - "PURO INÓSPITO ou a Transcendência dos Objectos Corpóreos", Museu da Tapeçaria de Portalegre - Guy Fino, Portalegre.
Biennials
In 1988 he was selected for the 1st National Biennial of Tapestry, in Matosinhos, Portugal
In 1991 and 1993 he was selected for the 1st and 2nd Symposiums of Contemporary Tapestry in Loures, Portugal.
In 2000 Alves Dias was selected for the 1st Meeting of Portuguese Contemporary Tapestry in Loures, Portugal.
In 2014 and 2018 he was selected for the International Biennials of Contemporary Textile Art, the "CONTEXTILE" in Guimarães, Portugal.
In 2019 he was invited as a guest artist, to represent Portugal, at 8th International Biennial of Contemporary Textile Art WTA, in Madrid, Spain.
In 2021 Alves Dias was part of the 11th "From Lousanne To Beijing" International Fiber Art Biennale, China.
Awards
1993 - 1st Prize of Painting in Plastic Arts Contest of the Institute Irene Lisboa, Portugal
1994 - Prize of the Members of the Fine Arts National Society, Lisbon, Portugal.
1996 - Mention Award in the 1st Biennial of Painting “Cardoso Lopes Award", in Amadora, Portugal.
2021 - Bronze Medal in the 11th "From Lousanne To Beijing" International Fiber Art Biennale, China
References
Alves Dias has been referenced in some books and art magazines, as well as in articles of Tapestry and Contemporary Textile Art as well as in master and doctoral thesis, in the
Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon.
Collections
He is represented in several public and private Art Collections.