Mario Henrique

Fascinated by the subtle meanings of body language and facial expressions, Mario Henrique paints close-up portrait paintings of a wide array of people. His practice is highly physical, with a loose style of brushwork that includes dripping, splashing, and throwing the paint to capture the impermanence of human emotion. Henrique utilizes rough materials, such as cardboard and reversed canvas, to emphasize the unhewn, improvised nature of being. His portrait series are organized by theme. “Spontaneous Ballerinas” (2019–present) depicts dancers but leans toward abstraction, while the “Vultus” series (2017) is a collection of portraits honoring migrants and refugees. Henrique began his creative work in online marketing and web development, turning to art full-time in his thirties. Based in Portugal, Henrique has exhibited in solo gallery exhibitions across Europe and North America.