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On Saturday October 26th, our initiator Delfina Sena led a group of the 100 collectors to the Lisbon-based studio of Vestres, a collective of three young Portuguese female artists. The visit provided a unique opportunity to engage with the collective in an intimate setting, offering a fascinating look at both their collaborative and individual artistic practices. The studio, a spacious and vibrant space, was an explosion of color, mirroring the artists’ distinct styles. As Delfina describes it, entering the studio felt like stepping into a world where creativity was in full bloom, with each artist’s work adding a layer to the collective’s shared vision.
Ana Malta and Madalena Pequito—who make up Vestres alongside Maria de Brito Matias—were present and ready to share their experiences and creative journeys. The artists spoke candidly about their journeys as young artists in Portugal, addressing the challenges they faced navigating the art world without the clear structure or support that other professions, like law or medicine, offer. They explained how the collective emerged organically from their time as art students, where they began to help each other with practical matters like securing funding, managing logistics, and finding opportunities.
Anna, for example, discussed her paintings, which combine a naive, childlike aesthetic with darker, more complex themes, often referencing childhood stories and fairy tales. Despite their playful surface, Anna's works address difficult and even cruel topics, providing a sharp contrast between the innocent style and the mature subject matter. Her process of layering color and writing was another point of discussion, with the collectors fascinated by how words are embedded into her paintings as a way of expressing her inner thoughts.
Madalena’s approach to art is deeply personal and narrative-driven, often inspired by the daily experiences and societal issues that concern her. Recently, she has expanded her practice into 3D, adding physical elements to her work that extend beyond the canvas, bringing her stories into a more tangible form. The collectors were captivated by how Madalena’s work transforms from flat imagery into something more immersive.
What was perhaps most striking to the collectors was the way Vestres works together as a collective. The artists explained that when they paint, they don’t take turns adding to a piece; rather, they all contribute at the same time, adding layers to the work as it evolves. They described this as "six hands, one brain"—a seamless collaboration where each artist’s input is seen as a valuable addition to the work as a whole. This open and collaborative approach was a highlight of the visit, with the collectors especially interested in how the artists manage to work together without conflict, supporting one another’s ideas and trusting each other’s creative decisions.
By the end of the morning, it was clear that the visit had been an incredibly rewarding experience.
