Blackson

Blackson Afonso (born 1983 in Uíge, Angola) is an Angolan contemporary artist based in Lisbon. He has lived in Portugal since the age of eight.

He studied painting in Budapest from 2009 to 2012, as well as architecture in Lisbon. The three years spent in Hungary marked the beginning of his career as a painter.

His work mainly explores the representation of the Black body and the human figure, in colourful, layered compositions between abstraction and figuration. His works play on emotional contrasts, joy and melancholy, and on a search for visual harmony, with an artistic language that is constantly evolving. To achieve luminous tones, Blackson Afonso often uses pointillism. He paints in acrylic on canvas.

In 2017, he exhibited at the Casa de Angola in Lisbon. In 2022, "Happy Blues" was presented at the Espaço Espelho d'Água. In 2024, the ROOTS residency programme hosted him in Lagos, Portugal.

He also develops work in other media, such as installations and ceramic tiles.