Born in 1938 on the island of S. Vicente, Cape Verde, Manuel Figueira lived in Portugal between 1960 and 1974, where he completed his Painting degree at the School of Fine Arts in Lisbon. He returned to Cape Verde in 1975 to collaborate in the revitalization of the archipelago’s popular culture. In 1976, he founded the Resistance Cooperative with the aim of keeping traditional Cape Verdean weaving alive. From 1978 to 1989, he served as Director of the National Crafts Center.
Since 1963, the artist has exhibited in collective and solo shows. His work has been showcased in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Spain, France, the United States of America, Portugal, and of course, Cape Verde. In 2005, the Perve Gallery presented the first retrospective of Manuel Figueira’s work in Portugal. The exhibition, titled “Visions of Infinity,” featured 126 pieces spanning from 1963 (before his trip to Portugal) to works dated 2004. Due to his rich artistic journey, Figueira has been honored with significant distinctions. In 1988, he received the Jaime Figueiredo Award from the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Cape Verde, and in 2000, he was awarded the Volcano Medal, a decoration bestowed on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of Independence, recognizing his contribution to the visual arts and culture of Cape Verde.
His artwork is represented in numerous public and private collections worldwide, with notable pieces included in the collections of the Ovar Museum, Fomento Bank, Totta & Açores Bank, A.N.P. (City of Praia, Cape Verde), Cape Verde Embassy to the UN (New York), Pró-Justitae Foundation, and the Palace of Culture (Cape Verde).
