About me

Chona is the pseudonym for Paulo Artur Costa.

 

Born in Setúbal, Portugal in 1972, I am currently living in Lisbon, after 7 years in London. 

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Self-taught contemporary artist, I began exhibiting in 1992 at Círculo Cultural de Setúbal (now Casa da Cultura).

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Influenced by figurative art, surrealism and expressionism, my work reflects a personal view of the modern world, and its cultural and social tensions. 

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Lucien Freud, Egon Schiele, Nobuyoshi Araki, Paula Rego, are some of the artists that influence my work.

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Eye catchy dramatic scenarios and dreamlike landscapes with emotion and depth depicted in each composition, inviting the discovery and dialogue with the observer.

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Inspired by the human condition,  my work frequently explores contrasts, like beauty vs darkness or strength vs vulnerability.

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My aesthetic sense blends a passion for plastic arts with a parallel career in fashion, where I've worked for 20 years for brands such as Paul Smith and Hugo Boss. 

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Visual storytelling, styling, colour composition, photo references, places and nature elements are also strongly represented in my work.

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My works are originals created in my studio using  high quality cotton or linen canvas on premium wooden frames.

 

Some of them are also available in giclée limited editions, numbered and signed, with a certificate of authenticity. 

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I take requests for commissioned work. 

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