Belinha Silva
Passionate about art from an early age, she finds in it a unique form of escape and fulfilment. Her work is inspired by the richness of colours, textures, and materials, as well as the beauty of allegorical subjects.
Her distinctive style blends bold colours, surrealism, abstraction, and figurative elements with pop art influences, reflecting the diverse cultures of the countries where she has lived. She intrigues viewers by inviting them to explore hidden details in her creations.
One of her major innovations, the "Porcelain Fusion on Canvas" technique, merges porcelain and canvas to create avant-garde works. This technique has earned her numerous international art awards, further fuelling her passion and desire to share her vision with the world.
Belinha, your technique “Porcelain Fusion on Canvas” stands as a singular innovation in the global art world. Could you walk us through the emotional and technical journey of inventing this method? What were the earliest impulses, challenges, and discoveries that led you to conceive and refine a process that is now wholly identified with your name?
Since childhood, drawing has been my language, my refuge, and my vital impulse. Even though life first led me toward studies in finance and accounting, I always felt an inner voice calling me back to creation.
In Brussels, in 2005, when I enrolled for the first time in an art workshop, I experienced a true revelation — one that opened the path to artistic exploration in all its forms: painting, sculpture, silk painting, porcelain painting, and jewellery creation. It was through this discovery that I found the space where I could breathe, experiment, and simply encounter myself through the act of creating.
Then in 2017, another decisive turning point emerged in my life. Exhausted by the rigidity of traditional porcelain painting, I felt a silent rebellion rise within me — a singular innovation that had been haunting me for years. For me, reinventing porcelain, which seemed far too classical, had become imperative.
The idea came to me as I stood before a blank vase. In a moment fuelled by both anger and intuition, I shattered it. My family thought I had lost my mind, but for me, it was a liberation: in the fragments scattered on the ground, I immediately saw forms, characters, lives. Where others saw only debris, I perceived a new artistic universe. With those fragments, I began by creating a single figure, just to see the result. Each fragment was drawn, painted, repainted, and fired multiple times between 750°C and 850°C. By assembling and fixing them onto a canvas I had previously painted, I discovered this unprecedented meeting point between painting and sculpture, between flatness and volume.
This was the birth of Porcelain Fusion on Canvas. Of course, there was still much to achieve, especially many technical challenges to overcome in refining this method. For example: it is impossible to break porcelain in a controlled way to shape characters. So how could I succeed in creating what I envisioned? How could I draw, paint, and fire such small fragments while ensuring they could later be assembled on canvas? How could I permanently secure these porcelain pieces onto the canvas? These questions — among many others — guided me through a journey of experimentation, trial, and discovery, until the technique finally took form, even though it continues to evolve to this day.
What I have achieved with this technique is the transformation of fragility into permanence, breakage into creation, and imagination into matter. By uniting two distinct worlds — canvas and porcelain — I developed a unique and complex process that reflects exactly what I sought: to reshape ancestral porcelain into a bold, poetic, and resolutely contemporary material. This innovation, born of my creativity and commitment, has allowed me to be honoured and awarded internationally within the art world.
There’s an inherent tension and harmony in your work between fragility and permanence. Porcelain, once fired, becomes both delicate and enduring. How do you see this material metaphor resonating with deeper themes in your work such as memory, identity, or transformation? And how do you balance the material’s vulnerability with the permanence of artistic expression?
Porcelain has always been, for me, much more than a simple material: it embodies a metaphor of fragility and permanence, delicacy and durability, the ephemeral and the timeless. As an artist, I have learned to respect these dualities. Each fragment I handle carries within it the memory of its fracture, the trace of its fragility, but once transformed, painted, and fired, it becomes permanent, durable, and bearer of a new life.
This tension between vulnerability and permanence resonates deeply with themes such as memory, identity, and transformation. Every broken fragment that comes to life on my canvas tells the story of something once fragile that has been sublimated. Like every human being, porcelain retains within itself the marks of its past, its story, and its wounds, while evolving, transforming, and affirming its own identity. It is this dialogue between emotion and symbol, fragility and strength, what is vulnerable and what endures, that nourishes all my artistic expression.
My creative process is long and complex: it is not simply about breaking porcelain and painting it. One must be able to draw it, paint it, and sublimate it through various mediums and materials, in addition to mastering painting on canvas. It requires creativity, observation, imagination, and the ability to combine colours while assembling unpredictable fragments — broken as they are — into coherent characters or forms. This demands patience, creativity, and great technical mastery.
In the same way that every human being goes through life confronted with the unexpected and with trials, we are shaped by our fractures and experiences. We learn to piece together our inner fragments, to sublimate our vulnerabilities, and to reveal our identity. My work with porcelain thus becomes a metaphor for this human journey: fragile, imperfect, yet capable of reinventing itself and becoming something lasting, unique, and full of meaning.
Your art exists in a liminal space between tradition and innovation, drawing from classical techniques while reshaping them into avant-garde statements. How do you define your relationship with historical craft, especially porcelain painting, and how do you envision your role in its evolution into the realm of contemporary visual discourse?
My work exists at the intersection of tradition and innovation. I hold immense respect for historical craftsmanship, such as the centuries-old techniques of porcelain painting, which demand discipline, precision, and great mastery. I deeply admire all artisans who continue to carry forward these creative traditions; they are essential to our universal heritage, and I pay them sincere homage. I draw inspiration and learning every time I have the chance to meet them, as exchanging with such artists is always an enriching experience. I myself had to go through this process: in order to become a porcelain painter, I had to first master the fundamentals of porcelain painting — techniques that are extremely demanding and complex, which explains why there are fewer and fewer porcelain painters today — before I was ready to develop my own techniques, to experiment, and to work according to my intuition and personal vision.
My technique, Porcelain Fusion on Canvas, seeks to build a bridge between historical mastery and contemporary artistic expression. By combining classical porcelain techniques with painting on canvas, multiple firings, and the meticulous assembly of fragments, I give this material a new voice and a renewed presence within the realm of contemporary art. My role, as I perceive it, is both that of a guardian and an innovator: preserving the integrity and technical beauty of traditional porcelain, while simultaneously pushing its boundaries to create expressive, multidimensional works capable of captivating viewers in new and unexpected ways in the 21st century.
My ambition is to contribute to a contemporary dialogue in which porcelain is no longer regarded merely as an outdated material, but as a living and evolving form of current artistic expression — and to be recognized as the instigator of its renaissance.
You describe your work as rooted in personal, socio-cultural, and historical contexts rather than influenced by specific painters. Can you elaborate on how your multicultural life experience, having lived across Europe, has shaped the narratives, symbols, and emotional palette of your compositions? How do those layers manifest visually within your unique mixed media language?
I was born near Lisbon, and at the age of one and a half, my parents left Portugal to settle in various European countries. I am therefore deeply European, speaking seven languages and having grown up in the heart of a rich cultural mosaic of which I am extremely proud. This life across Europe has shaped both my worldview and my artistic language. The diversity of cultures, traditions, and sensibilities I have encountered has given me an infinitely rich palette of ideas, emotions, and visual references that naturally find their way into my work.
Of course, as a passionate visitor to museums and galleries, many painters and artworks resonate with me. Yet my true sources of inspiration come primarily from my life experiences, personal reflections, socio-cultural contexts, world events, and the intuitions I feel at this moment of creation. As a creator, it is inconceivable for me to copy, and even psychologically impossible to reproduce one of my own works, for I would find no pleasure in doing so. For me, creation must be a vital impulse and, above all, a constantly renewed joy.
Not being drawn to realistic art — which I prefer to leave to photography — I express myself through a symbolic and poetic language, inspired by real or imagined images, human or allegorical figures, terrestrial or aquatic creatures, or characters derived from various cultural contexts. This is how my universe unfolds: a dialogue between personal memory, intercultural experiences, and imaginative narrative. Each work becomes an invitation for the viewer to explore hidden details, discover multiple layers of meaning, and enter into an intimate emotional relationship with my creations.
The interplay of light, dimension, and materiality in your artworks creates a multisensory experience that defies traditional flatness in painting. How important is physicality, texture, shine, and depth to your visual storytelling? Do you see your works as tactile objects as much as visual ones, and how do you intend viewers to engage with them in a gallery space?
Physicality is truly at the heart of my visual narrative, as it encompasses all the sensory and material characteristics of my works: texture, gloss, depth, and dimension. Each painted porcelain fragment reflects light in a unique way, its reliefs creating shadows, sparkles, and an almost living brilliance that transforms the piece depending on the viewing angle, contrasting with the matte surface of the canvas. Without this physical dimension, my creations would lose what fundamentally sets them apart from others.
Yet there is a paradox: this perception is almost impossible to convey through photography. In a frontal image, it is very difficult to distinguish the porcelain on the canvas—only photos taken from an angle reveal the volumes. This is why it is essential to experience my works in person, to fully appreciate their sensory richness and the power of the painting.
In my exhibitions, I often notice visitors pausing for a long time, intrigued by the material on the canvases. Many try to guess what it is, without success. Others think I simply glued chromos onto the porcelain fragments! This misunderstanding makes me smile, but I also take it as a genuine compliment: it proves that my porcelain painting engages viewers, surprises them with its subtlety and originality, and sparks their curiosity.
My intention is precisely for the viewer not to remain in simple visual contemplation, but to physically sense my works through their gaze. To be drawn in by the light, attracted by the textures, and invited into an intimate dialogue with the painting. I love that my creations capture attention from afar, thanks to their brilliance and dimension, but also reveal, up close, an infinite array of details, symbols, and fragments that invite deeper emotional exploration.
For me, my works are not just images to behold—they are physical presences, almost sculptural objects. Very often in my exhibitions, I allow the public to touch certain fragments to experience their tactile qualities: the roughness of porcelain fired at 940ºC with its enamel layer removed and painted in gold, the shimmering effect achieved with lustres, or a relief drawing worked into the porcelain. I welcome this interaction: on the contrary, it reveals to viewers the technical mastery behind each fragment. In porcelain painting, every layer of pigments or lustres, every addition or subtraction of texture, must be followed by firing at extremely high temperatures—a long, complex, and demanding process that gives the final work its full richness and strength.
In an era where many artists adopt digital tools and ephemeral media, your commitment to slow, labour-intensive, materially rich practices such as layered canvas painting, multiple porcelain firings, and gold or platinum detailing is quite radical. How do you position your work in relation to the current dialogues around speed, mass production, and authenticity in contemporary art?
You mention my porcelain technique, and it is true that this is where my process reaches its most demanding and slowest phase. The multiple firings, between 750º and 940ºC, the gold or platinum highlights, the successive layers of pigments and lustres—all of this requires infinite patience, technical rigor, and an almost meditative commitment. It is a time better not counted—otherwise it could be intimidating—but it forms the very foundation of my creative process.
That said, in my artistic practice, it is essential for me to have faster techniques as well, such as my collages or abstract paintings, which do not involve firings but rather direct applications of paint and drawing. These quicker methods allow me to “breathe,” to feel progress, and to explore another kind of creative energy. This balance between long, meticulous practices and more spontaneous, rapid ones is crucial to my process.
In truth, much of my work deliberately goes against the speed and immediacy that characterize our era. While many artists embrace digital tools and ephemeral media, I have chosen to anchor myself in slow, material, and demanding artisanal practices. This extended timeframe is valuable in itself: each firing is irreversible; each layer adds memory and intensity that cannot be rushed. This laborious and patient process opposes the logic of mass production and situates my works within a different temporality: one of transformation, anticipation, and permanence.
I must also admit that I am quite removed from digital tools and social media. I know they have become essential to “exist” in today’s art world, yet I have neither the patience nor the taste to immerse myself in them. I even occasionally pay for sales platforms, only to never post my works, preferring to devote my precious time to creating. This is one of my great contradictions, but it reflects where my true pleasure lies: in the studio, in the act of painting and transforming material.
Perhaps I am a “dinosaur” in the 21st century, but I believe it is precisely this slowness, this technicality, and this material immersion that give my work its authenticity and uniqueness. In a world saturated with quick images and instant creations, my works bear the visible trace of a long, complex, and emotional process. They remind us that art can be a form of resistance to speed, a way of restoring value to patience, attention, and depth.
This is how I position my work within contemporary discourse: not by rejecting the digital, but by affirming that slowness and materiality maintain—and even strengthen—their relevance in 21st-century art.
The fact that you have been consistently recognized with international awards including distinctions from Italy, France, the United States, and Dubai attests not only to the uniqueness of your technique but also to its universal resonance. What do you think allows your art to transcend cultural boundaries and connect so strongly with diverse global audiences?
I believe that what allows my art to transcend cultural boundaries is first and foremost its universal language, rooted in the exploration of human emotions and life experiences. My works reflect a wide spectrum of feelings—joy, sadness, love, self-discovery—and address both individual conditions and broader societal realities. This deep connection to the human experience makes my creations accessible and understandable to all, regardless of cultural context.
Each of my paintings tells a story and carries an origin that I feel compelled to express. My creative process blends allegorical and contemporary elements, combining figurative and abstract art, and inventing characters to convey my message as effectively as possible. Even when my works tackle delicate subjects, they remain optimistic, reflecting my joyful and curious nature. This approach makes my creations emotionally engaging and invites viewers into an intimate, reflective experience.
I think of my painting “And… life goes on”: during my exhibition in Dubai, I witnessed visitors moved to tears in front of this work, deeply touched by its message, even though they had entered the exhibition with broad smiles. These moments reminded me of how art can speak directly to the heart, beyond language and culture.
My work does not aim to reproduce any particular culture or aesthetic, but to create visual narratives in which anyone can project their own emotions and stories. The porcelain, colours, compositions, and fragments I use become universal metaphors for life: the breaks, the reconstructions, the light that emerges. This symbolic and emotional dimension, combined with an optimistic and human approach, explains why I believe my art resonates so deeply with diverse audiences around the world.
Symbolism appears to be a vital undercurrent in your work, woven into the iconography of your painted surfaces and the narratives implicit in your compositions. Could you share examples of recurring symbols or visual metaphors in your art and explain how they reflect your internal world or comment on the broader human condition?
Symbolism is a central thread throughout all my artistic techniques. In every work I create, regardless of the medium, I aim to offer an experience that is both aesthetic and emotional, allowing me to express my inner world while exploring universal themes of the human condition.
In my porcelain-on-canvas works, the assembled fragments become metaphors for life: each break and reconstruction embody both vulnerability and resilience. My collages, composed of painted textures and invented figures, create narratives where every element engages the viewer in an emotional and symbolic dialogue. As for my abstract paintings, they play with perception: from a distance, they may appear as simple colour compositions, but up close, they reveal complex worlds filled with characters, creatures, and hidden details that invite viewers to explore and interpret the stories suggested.
Through this approach, the viewer can project themselves, to feel, and to reflect on universal human experiences.
A concrete example of recurring symbolism in my work is my depiction of eyes. They appear frequently in my pieces, as for me, eyes represent one of the essential senses for the flourishing of life. They symbolize the ability to see, understand our surroundings, and appreciate the beauty around us. Most importantly, they reflect the inner world of everyone, expressing emotions, intentions, and desires. Eyes, consciously or not, cannot lie. Finally, I aim to honour the diversity and beauty of human and animal gazes. For me, eyes have become a universal symbol that connects my works to the viewer, allowing them to engage emotionally and connect with the narrative I seek to convey through my paintings.
Your creative practice spans painting, porcelain, silk, sculpture, and jewellery, each medium carrying distinct material histories and cultural associations. How do these practices inform and cross-pollinate one another in your studio? Do you see your Porcelain Fusion on Canvas as a culmination of these multidisciplinary explorations or as one chapter within a broader evolving body of work?
My artistic practice is deeply multidisciplinary: every material and technique I explore—drawing, painting, porcelain, silk, sculpture, or jewellery—feeds into and enriches the others. Rather than treating each technique as an end in itself, I use them as tools to expand the possible dialogues between mediums and to push the boundaries of my artistic expression.
Each technique or material has its designated place in one of my two studios. The first studio, where I spend most of my time, is a clean space, essential for porcelain painting, as even the slightest dust can compromise the final result. It is also where I keep my desk and computer, draw, create certain paintings, and design jewellery. The second studio is dedicated to what I call “messier” techniques, such as sculpture, silk painting, or other forms of painting, where I can experiment freely without constraint, allowing my creative expression to unfold fully. These two complementary environments enable me to move from one technique to another, shift my mindset, and recharge creatively, while keeping each creation in a harmonious balance. I do not reject any of my studios or works, as they are all my “babies,” each carrying a spirit of artistic exploration and freedom.
My different practices intertwine and nourish each other. For example, I sometimes incorporate crystal beads into porcelain, melting them in the kiln with mediums, or embed real freshwater pearls into porcelain vases. I have also created necklaces with genuine stones, which I later incorporated into acrylic paintings. I experiment with unexpected materials as well: sculpting clay mixed with porcelain mediums, applied to porcelain and fired to create beautiful reliefs, or using special products for silk painting in other fluid paintings, generating unique textures and effects. These intersections demonstrate how each medium enriches the others and contributes to a coherent, innovative, and singular artistic language.
While Porcelain-on-Canvas Fusion is one of my most emblematic techniques, it is not, for me, a final endpoint. As I mentioned, it continues to evolve. True to my role as a curious and passionate creator, I keep the door open to new discoveries, materials, and narratives, embracing a broader and ever-evolving corpus, because each new medium offers the opportunity to invent, experiment, and bring fresh artistic innovations to life.
Your artistic mission to modernize and elevate porcelain into the contemporary art sphere is both technical and philosophical. Looking ahead, what are your ambitions for the future of this technique? Do you see potential for collaborations, installations, or institutional recognition that could further solidify Porcelain Fusion on Canvas as a significant movement within 21st-century art history?
It is true that my artistic mission with porcelain is not merely technical; it is also profoundly philosophical. With Porcelain-on-Canvas Fusion, I aimed to open a new field of possibilities, transforming a material long confined to decorative arts and elevating it into the realm of contemporary art. After developing this technique, I researched whether it already existed elsewhere. I found only different approaches: some artists use broken porcelain to assemble fragments that are already painted. But creating characters by breaking and painting white porcelain fragments, then integrating them into a canvas also painted by my hand, is an innovative process that, to the best of my knowledge, I alone have developed in the world.
I must admit that I hesitated for a long time to reveal this invention. Conceived in 2017, I only unveiled it in 2020, during the lockdown, encouraged by my loved ones who insisted I share it. At first, I thought it would not attract any interest in the art world. Secretly, I submitted a work to an online painting competition to “test” its reception. To my great surprise, I won a prize. I thought it was mere chance… but as I continued, my works were recognized again. That is how this adventure truly began.
Today, my ambition is for Porcelain-on-Canvas Fusion to be recognized as a full-fledged artistic language: one with a unique identity, capable of engaging in dialogue with the major currents of 21st-century art. Yet I know I cannot achieve this goal alone; much remains to be done, and I will need guidance and external support to give this technique the recognition it deserves.
Looking to the future, I wish to explore more monumental and immersive forms, where porcelain transcends the canvas to occupy space through installations or architectural sculptures. I also intend to deepen the fusion of multiple mediums—painting, porcelain, silk, metal, and perhaps other, still unexpected materials—to continually push the boundaries of creation.
I see immense potential in interdisciplinary collaborations, whether with designers, architects, jewellers, or even engineers specializing in materials. These intersections could give rise to hybrid works at the intersection of art, technique, and innovation.
Ultimately, my deepest wish is for Porcelain-on-Canvas Fusion to find a place in museum and institutional collections, recognized not merely as a personal endeavour but as a significant contribution to the history of contemporary art. My dream is that one day, this technique will be identified as mine, as the one that revitalized contemporary porcelain, forming a true artistic movement: a bridge between tradition and modernity, fragility and strength, materiality and emotion.
I conclude, inspired by the words of my compatriot and poet Eça de Queirós, in believing that: “Art offers us the unique opportunity to fulfil the noblest of desires: that which transcends mortality and endures through the ages."