Luís Bívar is a Portuguese contemporary figurative and landscape artist living and working in Lisbon.
Established successfully in Portugal and Northern Europe, Bívar is dedicated to capturing emotion through human expression and colour. Greatly influenced by the Pop Art movement, his work often incorporates comic book iconography, much like Lichenstein.
He makes a point of displaying the imperfections in his paintings. Just as the Impressionists used the technique of alla prima to reflect their process of layering, Bívar believes a work in progress should be spontaneous, and be transparent in the “error” necessary for artistic expression. Finding new media is a permanent challenge Bívar sets for himself, and he makes a point of exploring various techniques in his artwork through drawing, mixed media, and recently sculpting.
Bívar has also worked on several projects with artists Vitor Pires Vieira and Nikias Skapinakis, both of whom have contributed to his presence in the contemporary art world. His work can be found in private and public collections in Lisbon such as the Champalimaud Foundation, the Portuguese Aids Foundation, Banco Espirito Santo, and the Embassy for the Republic of Angola. Other collections include Grotex, Russia and AMEX, Norway.
Bívar's most recent piece was displayed at the 2023 AAF Hampstead.
"I work on large and medium formats where I can fell free to create powerful contrast, combining collage and painting. My work has a graphic design influence because is part from my education."