Betar

After having curated the first Young Artists Exhibition, organized by Betar in 2023, he was once again challenged to choose 15 young artists to participate in the José Mendonça Prize. What was the artist selection process like?

We maintained the essential criteria: selecting 15 young Portuguese painters under 33 years old, but this time we sought artists with a greater degree of maturity and exhibition experience. The selection process started from an extended list of about 40 to 45 artists, supplemented by suggestions from collectors, artists, curators, and gallery owners. Gradually, names that appeared repeatedly in these conversations stood out, until we arrived at the 15 final artists presented at the Grémio Literário. This maturity was clearly reflected in the quality of the exhibition, something recognized by both the public and the jury, and even by the participants of the first edition who were present.

What are the main differences you find between the two exhibitions?

The main difference in this edition is that, while maintaining all the youth and energy of the artists, we have managed to bring together a more solid body of work from a technical, conceptual, and formal point of view. There is also a greater diversity of languages ​​and approaches, which aligns with one of the main objectives of this exhibition: to present different sensibilities and different ways of constructing contemporaneity.

What excites you about discovering new artists?

What excites me most is discovering new languages, new techniques, and new ways of looking at the world. Art has this extraordinary capacity to surprise us and force us to rethink. Young artists bring very contagious energy, freedom, and truth. There is a constant exchange, although I often feel that we receive more than we transmit. One of the greatest satisfactions is precisely to follow the growth and trajectory of these artists and see them establish themselves in contemporary Portuguese painting.

The works presented were very different from each other. Do you think this enhanced the exhibition?

Diversity was one of the most important aspects of this exhibition. We brought together artists from different schools, cities, and backgrounds – such as the Porto School, Lisbon, or Caldas, – which brought a great richness of languages ​​and sensibilities. This plurality allowed us to build a more comprehensive and open exhibition, capable of engaging with very different tastes and forms of collecting.

Do you feel that there are concerns or themes that mark this new generation of artists? Did you find any patterns in the works presented?

Interestingly, I didn’t find common concerns or redundant patterns among the artists. On the contrary: the differences in training and life experience ended up generating enormous technical, aesthetic, and conceptual multiplicity. And this profoundly enhances the exhibition, because it forces us to confront different visions and different ways of thinking about contemporary painting.

If you had to summarize the exhibition in one word or image, what would it be?

If I had to summarize this exhibition in three words (one is very difficult) I would say: freedom, diversity and quality.

Perhaps without naming, is there any artist you consider important to follow from now on?

I see these 15 artists almost as 15 children or godchildren. Naturally, we may feel different affinities with certain works, but I never wanted to assume the role of choosing favorites. That role belonged precisely to the jury, composed of professionals with different sensibilities and criteria. I believe that this separation was important for the credibility of the prize. Perhaps in ten years we will be able to understand more clearly which of these artists will have managed to establish themselves more consistently in the Portuguese artistic landscape.

What are your perspectives for residency?

We were delighted to receive the jury’s decision to select a fifth artist for the residency in Guarda, exceeding what was initially foreseen in the regulations. I believe this will greatly enrich the collective experience. During this week, the artists will work, live together, and exchange ideas, sharing references, experiences, and different ways of thinking about painting; this interaction may give rise to very interesting creative stimuli, which will be reflected in the works presented at the Guarda Municipal Gallery.

A final note on the importance of this type of initiative…

All initiatives that contribute to promoting the visual arts are welcome. Betar and engineer Tiago Mendonça had the courage to launch, practically from scratch, a prize and an exhibition that today already show continuity and consistency. This demonstrates a serious commitment to supporting contemporary Portuguese art and young artists. I am deeply convinced that this project will continue to grow. And I believe that, very soon, we will have not only a third edition of the José Mendonça Betar Prize, but also the announcement of the future Betar Art Collection, which could play a very important role in supporting national contemporary art.

This interview is an integral part of Artes&Letras magazine #189, june 2026
Partially automatic translation from portuguese: some expressions may differ from their actual meaning.