AR CONTEMPORARY

PORTUGAL 1983
Ana Cruz and Maria de Betânia, known as Ana+Betânia, are a Portuguese duo specialised in ceramic sculpture. After earning their degrees in Painting from the University of Lisbon, they began working together in 2012 at the Muel Cerámica Viva event in Zaragoza. Their work merges classical sculptural techniques with a conceptual focus, often exploring themes of female identity through raw, ironic, and surreal interpretations. Notable milestones include Ana Cruz's acceptance into the International Academy of Ceramics in 2013 and winning first prize at the Esplugues Biennial in 2014. The duo's work is known for its playful yet brutal deconstruction of the human body, creating visual metaphors that blend tenderness with a distorted, perverse edge. They've exhibited at major art fairs like Istanbul Art Fair and Volta Basel, and collaborated with Fox Portugal on a project for "The Walking Dead" in 2021.
Their work is often influenced by traditional Portuguese folk ceramics, yet the concepts and themes they explore are far from conventional. Conceptually, they propose a reflective analysis of female identity in full adulthood, interpreting it through pain, in a raw, ironic, and unsettling manner, deconstructing the body itself.
FAIRS WITH AR CONTEMPORARY
OBERTURA CARABANCHEL 2023 & 2024, CERARTMIC 2024
ART PRIZES
2014 · FIRST PRIZE AT THE ESPLUGUES BIENNIAL













