Tony Amaral
TONY AMARAL – VISUAL ARTIST from East Timor
born 1984 Dili
CONTACTS: for exhibitions, residencies, teaching and purchase of art works
tonyamaral@tekeemedia.com
rosdunlop@tekeemedia.com
Tony Amaral is a visual artist. He was born in Timor-Leste in 1984 and grew up in Dili, Timor-Leste during the time of the Indonesian occupation. His first teacher was the Indonesian artist Yahya Lambert who lives in Timor-Leste. Tony joined Arte Moris Free Art School in Dili in 2002 as one of the first students of the school, (founded by Swiss artist Luca Gansser and his wife Gabriella). The art school began as a collective of artists who lived and worked in the grounds of Arte Moris. During this time Tony took part in many projects and exhibitions, nationally and internationally. He travelled with exhibitions to Australia, Indonesia and Switzerland. During the civil unrest in 2006 he took part in the peace campaign of posters and Murals throughout Timor to help restore peace to the troubled country. His work hangs in the Presidential Palace in Dili, East Timor.
In 2008 he was awarded a scholarship to study art at The National Art School in Sydney, Australia. He was the first Timorese artist to graduate from the National Art School. He attained a Bachelor of Fine Art in 2011. He was also awarded the Chroma Prize for Painting in his final year.
After graduation he returned to East Timor as Artist in Residence at Arte Moris Art School, he is now the artistic director of Arte Moris. In this capacity he has curated a number of exhibitions, served as an inspiration and mentor for artists and students in his homeland. He gave his first solo show in Dili in October 2011 called ‘Dame ba rai nebe’e maka iha problema’ ‘Peace to this troubled land’. It was the first solo exhibition by a Timorese artist in Timor. The exhibition used mixed media abstract collages with a focus on local newspaper cuttings and bold colours and stencils to tell a story of a nation that is continuing to experience a crisis of faith in development and governance, which in turn is having an impact on people’s sense of harmony. This exhibition was received with critical acclaim.
In 2012 he gave his first solo exhibition in Sydney At The Vanishing Point gallery in Newtown. He was also invited to participate in the 15th Asian Biennale in Bangladesh.
Growing up in a country under occupation has had a profound influence on Tony which he expresses through his art.
AWARDS
2008 Finalist drawing prize for first year Bachelor of Fine Arts, Sydney College of the Arts
2007 Full scholarship to the National Art School, Sydney Australia 2008
2004 second prize drawing competition organised by UNDP, Dili Timor
EXHIBITIONS
2012
Solo Show – ATVP (At the Vanishing Point) Gallery, Newtown, Sydney, Australia.
Exhibited in the 15th Asian Biennale, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Group Show – Arte Moris Celebrates 9 Years, Arte Moris, Comoro, Dili, East Timor
2011
Group Show – Carving Through Time – Sculpture Exhibition, Arte Moris, Comoro, Dili, East Timor
Solo Show – Dame ba rai neb’e maka iha problema – “Peace to this troubled country”, Arte Moris, Comoro, Dili, East Timor
Group Show – Loke Matan, Hare’e no Rona Ami , Arte Moris, Comoro, Dili, East Timor
2010
GRID-A-LICIOUS – exhibition of painting by third year students at the National Art School Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
Collaboration with Artists from the Tiwi Islands, painting wall murals for the exhibition ARAMPINI, NAS Gallery, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
2009
Group exhibition with colleagues NAS, MILS Gallery Surry Hills, NSW,Australia
Group Exhibition with colleagues from Arte Moris Art School in Geelong, Victoria, Australia
2006
Group Exhibition:with colleagues from Arte Moris Art School at College of Fine Arts, Paddington, Sydney, NSW Australia.
Group Exhibition: with colleagues from Arte Moris Art School at Willoughby Art Centre, Willoughby, NSW Australia
Group Exhibition: Lorosa’e exhibition and events honoring TImor -Leste’s culture in collaboration with AMZH (Arte Moris Zurich) at the ICS (Inter-Community School) in Zumikon/Zurich, Switzerland
Group Exhibition: ‘Living Art from Timor Leste’ at UN Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
Group Exhibition: ‘Etre. The face of Human Rights’ Arte Moris exhibition Hall in collaboration with the Swiss Embassy in Jakata
Group exhibition College of Fine Arts, Sydney, NSW Australia
Group exhibition: Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia. Organisers Charles Darwin University Students Union and Darwin-Dili Sister City Committee
COMMISSIONS
2006
As part of a group of artists from Arte Moris Art School: mural paintings for CARE International, Bairo Pite, Dili, Timor Leste.
As part of a group of artists from Arte Moris Art School, Dili: Graffiti and Mural Paintings at Suco, Comoro and Comoro Soccer field, Kampung Buru, Comoro Timor Leste
As part of a group of artists from Arte Moris Art School: creation of poster, banner and graffiti for ‘Resistance Peace Campaign’ in collaboration with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ‘Hahi Ita Rain’ (celebrate our country) event office of the PM.
LANGUAGES
Tetun, English and Indonesian