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Porfírio Mendes

Porfírio Mendes, a folk sculptor from Barcelos, crafts these pieces with a blend of cork, love and mischievous wit. Without formal artistic training, he discovered in cork the ideal material for his irreverent and humorous creations, which pay tribute to the region's rural culture.

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A DEVIL CARVED WITH SOUL

The story7piecesSee the pieces

Curiosity, mischievousness and raw talent shaped Porfírio Mendes into the folk cork sculpture he is today, without ever stepping foot in a formal art school. Born in 1967 in Barcelos, Porfírio began working in construction at 14 and ended up building the house where he currently lives. From that, he began sculpting miniature stone buildings with intricate mechanics that gave a whimsical touch to his neighborhood, but it was only in 2013 that he stumbled upon cork as a raw material for the creations that would make him one of a kind.

He began collecting bottle corks from restaurants and built roosters, devils, saints, witches, you name it, using nothing but a knife, sandpaper and glue. Well, and paint of course - have you looked at the extravagant colours? It’s a naive and humorous work of amusement and nostalgia, an homage to the region’s folk imagery.

Family is always by his side: his daughter Adriana curates his online presence and his wife is a lifelong partner. Porfírio’s first solo exhibition, held at Barcelos’s Tourist Office in 2024, named him “a craftsman of soul and heart”. He still works in construction.

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The journey

Porfírio Mendes

Early Life and Background

Curiosity, mischief and raw talent shaped Porfírio Mendes into the folk cork sculptor he is today, without his ever setting foot in a formal art school. Born in 1967 in Barcelos, Porfírio began working in construction at 14 and ended up building the house where he currently lives.

Beginnings in Art

From construction, he moved on to sculpting miniature stone buildings with intricate mechanics that gave a whimsical touch to his neighbourhood, but it was only in 2013 that he stumbled upon cork as the raw material for the creations that would make him one of a kind.

Technique and Style

He began collecting bottle corks from restaurants and built roosters, devils, saints, witches, you name it, using nothing but a knife, sandpaper and glue. Well, and paint, of course. Have you seen the extravagant colours? It’s a naive and humorous work of amusement and nostalgia, an homage to the region’s folk imagery.

Family and Recognition

Family is always by his side: his daughter Adriana curates his online presence and his wife is a lifelong partner. Porfírio’s first solo exhibition, held at the Barcelos Tourist Office in 2024, named him “a craftsman of soul and heart”. He still works in construction.

The technique

ABOUT CORK

Cork, a natural and sustainable material, is obtained from the bark of the cork oak tree. Porfírio uses used cork stoppers, giving them new life through sculpture.

Handmade by Porfírio Mendes

The pieces

What Porfírio Mendes creates are not just sculptures: they are pieces of popular culture, full of humour and irreverence. Each piece tells a story, connecting the rural past to the present through art. It's funny, it's strange, it's kitsch, and that's why we love it. A tribute to a Portugal of saints and demons, farmers and revellers, which lives on in our memories and hearts. His works transcend time, being both contemporary and timeless, shared with soul in every detail.

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