“Soul to Soul”, an exhibition by Portuguese architect-cum-artist Cristina Maria de Faria Rocha Leiria, who designed the landmark Kun Iam Statue and Ecumenical Centre in Nape, in the groundfloor Gallery of Regency Art Hotel in Taipa, presents a deeply personal collection of sculptures created by her over decades, shaped by her life experiences marked by loss and resilience.
Speaking to the Post at the exhibition yesterday, Leiria said that the title “Soul to Soul” reflects her intention of transmitting personal emotions and values through her work. “What you are going to see here is what I made from how I felt, what I thought was valuable, and what I want to pass to other people,” she said, adding that each piece took her about a month to complete, allowing time “to think, to write and, sometimes, to compose a little poem”.
Leiria said that the exhibition is both artistic and practical in nature. “I’m hosting the exhibition to sell my sculptures. My objective is to show and to sell,” she noted.
Trained as an architect specialising in low-cost housing for slums in Mozambique, Leiria said her path into sculpture began after she took early retirement in her early 50s due to health issues. She recalled falling into a depression before being encouraged by her father to revisit sculpturing, a skill she had practised in her youth. “He took me to a crystal factory and they welcomed me with open arms and said, we can start,” she said. “I can’t thank them enough.”
The exhibition features sculptures in crystal, bronze, tin and epoxy resin, including rare crystal works produced over 20 years ago, some bearing her name, date and serial number.
Leiria described these pieces as “treasures”, stressing their artistic and investment value. “You will see that the sculptures here are a treasure, and they are just for people who appreciate things of good quality,” she said.
While the exhibition space also displays paintings by other artists, Leiria emphasised that her focus is on presenting and explaining her sculptural works. She also revealed that “Soul to Soul” will be followed by a large-scale virtual exhibition in Shanghai, which she said would allow her work to “spread all over the world”.
With free admission, “Soul to Soul” runs until the end of the month at the Gallery of Regency Art Hotel in Taipa, with opening hours from 12 p.m. to 2p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Stay tuned for a photo feature in an upcoming Page 4.
Cristina Maria de Faria Rocha Leiria poses with one of her exhibits of the “Soul to Soul” exhibition in the ground-floor Gallery of Regency Art Hotel in Taipa yesterday. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
