Luis Noronha da Costa

LUÍS NORONHA DA COSTA (Lisbon, 1942- 2020).
Untitled.
Cellulose paint on canvas.
Signed on the back.
Measurements: 162 x 114 cm.
Luis Noronha da Costa was a Portuguese architect and painter whose work stood out for its exploration of perception and the dualities between the real and the virtual. A graduate in Architecture from the Escola Superior de Belas Artes in Lisbon, he began his artistic career young, with his first exhibition at the age of 20. Although he initially worked with collages and techniques such as the "screen effect" using mirrors and frosted glass, it was his spray gun technique that marked his distinctive style.
This technique allowed him to create images that seemed to be separated by a translucent barrier, generating a sense of depth and mystery. His painting was characterized by the use of light and shadow, diffuse figures and an atmosphere that seemed to transpose the canvas into a three-dimensional dimension. In addition to his pictorial work, he dabbled in experimental film, enriching his artistic practice with new ways of questioning perception and reality.
Before the age of 30, Noronha da Costa had already gained critical acclaim and the support of figures such as José Augusto França and Ernesto de Sousa. He represented Portugal in important international biennials, such as São Paulo (1969) and Venice (1970), consolidating his relevance in the contemporary art scene. His legacy remains a reference in Portuguese painting for his ability to challenge and transform the viewer's visual perception.

Currently his work is part of important collections among which stand out, Banco Espírito Santo and CAMJAP/Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, and is also part of the Buckingham Palace Collection - in 1985 the President of the Republic, General Ramalho Eanes offered a painting by Noronha da Costa to Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of England, during her official visit to Portugal.