João Ayres, an Independent Painter

Summary

It’s a story with many layers. It’s about the painter João Ayres (1921-2001), an artist in transit between Portugal and Africa who became forgotten in the narrative of Modern Art. It’s also a story about his family, who inherited a significant body of work. One of his grandchildren, Diogo Camilo Alves, the narrator, wants to make his grandfather’s art more accessible and has been fighting for its conservation and restoration. It’s also a story about the house that the painter built, where many of his works still reside and where his memory is very much alive.