Conceição Messias
generosity in art and deeds
Text and photographs by Ana VascoConceição Messias' sensitive gaze anticipates her magical touches that transform clay into living characters, saints, demons, and burlesque animals, all imbued with sweetness. With 20 years of experience in producing the Figurado de Barcelos and a lifetime of familiarity with clay, Conceição creates pieces recognisable by the delicacy of her strokes.
The first pieces
Conceição Messias' intimacy with Figurado began in her childhood when she competed with her siblings and cousins for the small pieces of clay left over from the creations of the artisans in her family. For her, these fragments were precious, albeit incomplete, toys. The desire to mould complete creations and replicate the works of her elders sparked an early passion for modelling. Conceição wanted to have her own distinctive style. At 16, she began working with ceramics and dedicating herself to standardised, industrialised production. Her entry into craftsmanship in 2004 represented a return to her roots and the gradual conquest of creative freedom in her work. Since 2018, Conceição Messias has been fully dedicated to the art of clay.
Faceless figures
In her artistic work, the certified pieces of Figurado de Barcelos stand out as the main element among the robust couples of African dolls, representations of people from Madeira, or the enigmatic faceless figures that populate nativity scenes or rest isolated on the shelves of her studio. The latter, more abstract, open to free interpretation, exemplify the intrinsic generosity of Conceição's work. “A lady from a shop where I sold my crafts asked me why some of my pieces had no faces. I replied that I preferred to make them this way so that people could imagine whatever they wanted in them. At her request, I made some pieces with faces, but she confessed that she came to prefer the ones without,” explains the artisan.
Like her first toys, moulded from clay remnants, the faceless pieces—“unfinished,” as Conceição refers to them—invite viewers to project their own emotions, experiences, and interpretations. These small figures, though uncertified, complement the traditional pieces of Figurado de Barcelos, exploring new possibilities of contemporary artistic expression.
Renewed art and life
Conceição knows how to value time, which quickly slips away during the meticulous and introspective creative process, carried out in stages, often interspersed with personal responsibilities, such as caring for her centenarian father and in-laws. Despite having many responsibilities, Conceição always finds moments to participate in fairs and conduct workshops that stimulate the creativity of new generations. The relationship between Conceição Messias' art and life reveals a sincere generosity, from the time donated to works that can be completed by the imagination of those who view them. The Figurado de Barcelos perpetuates and is enriched by the sensitivity of this artist.