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‘Agent of the Passive’ by Maria Chale at Fundação Couto in Maputo
3:54 CAT | 24 March 2025
‘Agent of the Passive’ by Maria Chale at Fundação Couto in Maputo
The Fernando Leite Couto Foundation in Maputo is showing the exhibition “Agent of the Passive” by visual artist Maria Chale until April 5th
“Agent of the Passive” brings together two sets of paintings, with different languages. The first are abstract works using watercolour on paper and wood, in an attempt to translate what is happening inside, as if it were a body, with arteries, muscles and vital organs exposed. These works “shaped by the unpredictable encounter between water and pigment, offer a more introspective and intuitive reading of transformation. A reflection on feelings of impotence, in light of current social and political phenomena, where the artist explores her own passivity in the face of the entropy of colour, where the line belongs to her, but the result is out of her hands”, according to Lumina Baptista, quoted in a press release from the Foundation.
On the other hand, the exhibition, curated by Yolanda Couto, brings together a set of portraits, in watercolour and acrylic on paper. “The portraits capture delicate features, in a reflection on the balance between permanence and change. With expectant expressions, the agents propose a meditation on human vulnerability in the face of the fluidity of experiences, in a bridge between expectation and reality,” writes Baptista in the text that introduces us to the exhibition.
“Agent of the Passive” is, therefore, a dialogue between the actor and the spectator, between the artist and the work, and between what can be done and what can be controlled.
About the artist
Maria Chale is a visual artist from Maputo. From a young age, she demonstrated a talent for visual arts and crafts. Her creative vision, combined with methodical thinking, led her to graduate in Architecture and Physical Planning from Eduardo Mondlane University. However, it was outside the classroom that her creativity truly blossomed, when, in 2013, she began receiving commissions for portraits.
The path of her artistic evolution became evident with her debut in exhibitions, in 2018, when she participated in a collective exhibition at the 16Neto gallery, Maputo City, followed by her first solo exhibition, “Motif”, at the same space, in 2019. From then on, Chale consolidated her position in the world of visual arts with multiple subsequent exhibitions, the highlight being her participation in the temporary installation “Vocal Streets: Poetics of the Everyday”, in 2022. The immersive multimedia experience allowed her to combine her artistic perspective with architectural knowledge, through scenography.
Specializing in graphite and watercolour, Chale’s work stands out through its vibrant colours and delicate touches of gold leaf reflecting the artist’s multidisciplinary drive.
Her works portray and reinterpret spatial, historical and social realities, appropriating narratives and giving them a new perspective.
Maria Chale shares her passion by organizing watercolour workshops, where her journey, experience and enthusiasm serve as inspiration for those who wish to explore new forms of expression.
Fundação Fernando Leite Couto
Av. Kim Il Sung, 961, Maputo, Mozambique
+258 84 433 6600
Source: O País
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