Aheneah
Aheneah

In Praise of Shadows


I was wandering solo through Japan, immersed in all its mesmerizing culture, and nature, when Taguspark invited me to create an installation for their central garden. I drew inspiration from the use of lights and shadows in Japanese art and architecture, as well as Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's book In Praise of Shadows, to start sketching this installation.

Shadows, created by natural light, are the fundamental element of this piece, which is monochromatic, delicate, and has a narrow profile. The installation takes shape through its nuances, punctual transparency, and attention to detail.

The interweaving of the ropes in the grid is inspired by Filé lace, a traditional textile technique that uses a cotton net to embroider mostly floral motifs. The collision between its traditional form and the modern adaptation I've created here challenges this craft's potential, beauty, and applicability, seeking a disruptive and bold result.

Transparency became a significant aspect of this outdoor installation as it serves as a window to the entire landscape, making it part of the artistic composition. Depending on the time of day or season, visitors will have a unique perspective on the installation's relationship with its surroundings.

Inspired by the building's strong lines, I combined different proportions in this 3-piece set. 

Client

Taguspark

Production 
Crewz Productions

Materials 

Braided rope polyester HT,

steel, concrete

Location 
Oeiras, Portugal

Year 
2023

 

Cardo


"Cardo" emerges from an artistic exploration that embodies the core values of the two projects that host it: Lãnd, which seeks to innovate and celebrate the wool of Serra da Estrela, and Projecto Queijeiras, which empowers and honors the women cheese-makers of the region.


This sculpture recalls both the thistle flower, traditionally used for curdling cheese, and the pompom, a simple yet iconic form in wool craftsmanship. By reimagining these elements on a monumental scale, this work presents them through an innovative and contemporary lens. “Cardo” symbolizes a unifying core, highlighted by a color gradient that suggests growth and new opportunities. The sculpture takes shape through a central sphere from which 400 hand-dyed virgin wool stems radiate. 

 

Client

Lãnd

Materials 

Hand-dyed virgin wool,

steel

Location 
Manteigas, Portugal

Year 
2024
Photography 
Leonardo Rosa

 

Muga

 

Straw is a surprising material. Soaked, it bends and twists in unexpected ways. The moment I wove the first sample and heard the structure shift, and smelled the earthy scent of the straw, I was hooked.

For weeks, I knotted each strand by hand, letting it grow into this big wavy, spiky form. It felt like walking through a field—wild and full of energy. Dyeing it with indigo, the teal tones made it feel fresh and vibrant, like it had just been picked.

Muga is about letting go, trusting the process, and giving space for the material—and the viewer—to shape the outcome.

—

Created during the first semester of MFA Textiles in Parsons School of Design with the support of Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.




 

Materials 

Raw straw dyed with indigo

Location 
New York

Year 
2024

 

Nova Onda

In 2022, Rio Loco, a festival that happens every year in Toulouse, chose Portugal and Portuguese Culture as that year’s focus. It was an enormous honor to be in Toulouse representing my country, especially having the opportunity to think and design such an enormous installation.

As a Portuguese artist, the festival's theme, "Nova Onda" felt close to me. As soon as I started sketching, the wave was a constant element in my compositions, either as a motif, background, or detail. As the drawing progressed, I noticed that the wave could symbolize several key concepts. 

There's an undeniable link between Portuguese identity and the ocean. The big shoreline with the Atlantic is a big part of our history but of our daily lives as well. The peaceful yet violent nature of the sea is an inspiration.

"Saudade" is the nostalgic feeling of longing for something that has passed, but newer generations are reinventing and rediscovering our history and traditions through it. The back and forth, the dynamism and the turmoil growing in Portugal are represented in this installation by its movement, the waves' motion, and the ties' rising.

Promoter
Rio Loco

Materials
Wool and plywood

Location 
Toulouse, France
Year 
2022

This installation pushes knitted fabric to its limits, transforming softness into sharp, self-supporting form with no hidden structure or hard materials. Each spiky edge is tensioned for surprising rigidity, creating an experience that feels both weightless and dense, as if it’s expanding and contracting at once.

The threads connecting it to the space add tension, as if the piece is barely contained. Keeping it all white directs the focus to its movement and form—capturing a frozen, explosive moment of energy, like an intense, turbulent memory.

—

Created during the first semester of MFA Textiles in Parsons School of Design with the support of Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

Materials 

Wool

Location 
New York

Year 
2024

 

Ethereal Garden

Group exhibition by Aheneah, Maria Brito and Ziqui

Inspired by the enigmatic beauty of nature, this exhibition reflects the life of flowers and corals, the structure of rocks and crystals and the beauty of sunlight and its reflections. However, our intention is not to portray only the visible, but also evoke intangible sensations and memories.

I once again took this chance to challenge the conventions of the classical cross-stitch technique. Recently, I have been experimenting with brushed mohair wool and its ability to add movement and fluidity to the otherwise still and structured forms of cross-stitch.
Through vibrant colours and abstract compositions, I strived to capture my hazy memories of the nature beauty, immortalising the delicate flower tones and the shimmering water reflections.



Palácio da Quinta da Piedade 
Galeria Municipal Jovem
Vila Franca de Xira 


2024

 

Floating Stitches

For a whole month, thousands of meters of wool turned into small knots, the sound of screwdrivers working in unison became familiar and the production team surpassed the limits until this installation came to life on the roof of The Hood.

THE HOOD opened its doors in November 2019 with the fundamental objective of creating a community related to art and a real link between visitors and residents of the region. It intends to be the heart of urban culture, receiving national and international artists through exclusive curatorship by Mistaker Maker | Artistic Intervention Platform.

Promoter
The Hood

Curatorship 
Mistaker Maker

Materials 
Plywood, Acrylic, Wool

Size 
70 mts2

Location 
UBBO, Amadora, Portugal

Year 
2019

// Archive //

I created this installation for Festival Batom at Casa Bissaia Barreto in Coimbra, Portugal. Festival Batom is a project that celebrates and brings together inspiring women from all artistic fields.

//Archive// is designed to resemble a personal reference library, showcasing what inspires me as a woman and an artist. The composition features an array of images, ranging from traditional floral patterns to coding language, incorporating fluid graphics and female references. The graphics are thoughtfully arranged in a way that creates a mood board effect, with each picture overlapping the other to create an illusion of layers. The installation's outline follows the lines of the stairs, resulting in a site-specific artwork that blends seamlessly with the building.

For this intervention, I opted for the large-scale cross-stitch technique I invented. Since it's an outdoor permanent installation, I opted for all-black Arraiolos wool. Black is the color with the longest longevity and is least likely to fade in sunlight. Arraiolos wool is composed of 100% natural fibers and is super thick and rough; it can support a lot of weight and still keep its shape for a very long time, hence the reason why the Portuguese use it for their best-known Arraiolos tapestries.

 

Promoter
Festival Batom

Materials 
Wool + screws 

Location
Casa das Artes Bissaya Barreto, Portugal
Year 
2012

Urban Week Paris

There’s something that calls more and more my attention,
especially when looking at the evolution of fields such as arts, music, or architecture:
the new dynamics and solutions created by the overlapping of the digital and analog processes, taking the best of computing and the physical experience of the materials.

In this piece, I focused specifically on this fine line. Although my process is super analog my goal is that the final result keeps the digital aesthetic, creating a deep fusion between the pixel and the cross.

 

Promoter and Curatorship
Quai 36

Materials
Wool and plywood
Location
Paris, France

Year

2021

Timeline

"Timeline" is a work that explores the concept of time, especially the idea of a complex and extensive line with a beginning and end. Like any timeline, I tried to find and embroider different rhythms, densities and weights. The triptych evokes the idea of time and chapters, directly inspired by the three fundamental phases of all stories: beginning, middle and end.

Materials 
Burlap fabric and wool

Size 
1,7x0,85m (each

Year
2022

 

Fragments

The Crystal Ship

Promoter
Crystalship
Location
Ostend, Belgium

Materials 
Wool and plywood
Year
2022

 

Freedom

No Walls Oeiras

Location 
Oeiras, Portugal

Materials 
Wool and plywood
Curatorship
Mistaker Maker
Year 
2021

 

Matriz

"Matriz" is a tribute to all great-grandmothers, grandmothers, and mothers who teach things that we carry for our entire lives. A special homage to Narcisa, my great-grandma who not only knitted my first (pink) coat but also taught me how to knit my very first piece.
An installation that would not make sense anywhere else but in Covilhã, the city with more history and knowledge in wool production in Portugal.

Installation produced during the 2018 edition of the WOOL Urban Art Festival. It is now permanently displayed at Casa dos Magistrados in the historic center of Covilhã.

Promoter & Curatorship
WOOL Urban Art Festival

Materials 
Wool and plywood

Location 
Casa dos Magistrados, Covilhã, Portugal
Year 
2018

In Praise of Shadows


I was wandering solo through Japan, immersed in all its mesmerizing culture, and nature, when Taguspark invited me to create an installation for their central garden. I drew inspiration from the use of lights and shadows in Japanese art and architecture, as well as Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's book In Praise of Shadows, to start sketching this installation.

Shadows, created by natural light, are the fundamental element of this piece, which is monochromatic, delicate, and has a narrow profile. The installation takes shape through its nuances, punctual transparency, and attention to detail.

The interweaving of the ropes in the grid is inspired by Filé lace, a traditional textile technique that uses a cotton net to embroider mostly floral motifs. The collision between its traditional form and the modern adaptation I've created here challenges this craft's potential, beauty, and applicability, seeking a disruptive and bold result.

Transparency became a significant aspect of this outdoor installation as it serves as a window to the entire landscape, making it part of the artistic composition. Depending on the time of day or season, visitors will have a unique perspective on the installation's relationship with its surroundings.

Inspired by the building's strong lines, I combined different proportions in this 3-piece set. 

Client

Taguspark

Production 
Crewz Productions

Materials 

Braided rope polyester HT,

steel, concrete

Location 
Oeiras, Portugal

Year 
2023

 

 

Floating Stitches

For a whole month, thousands of meters of wool turned into small knots, the sound of screwdrivers working in unison became familiar and the production team surpassed the limits until this installation came to life on the roof of The Hood.

THE HOOD opened its doors in November 2019 with the fundamental objective of creating a community related to art and a real link between visitors and residents of the region. It intends to be the heart of urban culture, receiving national and international artists through exclusive curatorship by Mistaker Maker | Artistic Intervention Platform.

Promoter
The Hood

Curatorship 
Mistaker Maker

Materials 
Plywood, Acrylic, Wool

Size 
70 mts2

Location 
UBBO, Amadora, Portugal

Year 
2019

Ethereal Garden

Group exhibition by Aheneah, Maria Brito and Ziqui

Inspired by the enigmatic beauty of nature, this exhibition reflects the life of flowers and corals, the structure of rocks and crystals and the beauty of sunlight and its reflections. However, our intention is not to portray only the visible, but also evoke intangible sensations and memories.

I once again took this chance to challenge the conventions of the classical cross-stitch technique. Recently, I have been experimenting with brushed mohair wool and its ability to add movement and fluidity to the otherwise still and structured forms of cross-stitch.
Through vibrant colours and abstract compositions, I strived to capture my hazy memories of the nature beauty, immortalising the delicate flower tones and the shimmering water reflections.



Palácio da Quinta da Piedade 
Galeria Municipal Jovem
Vila Franca de Xira 


2024

Nova Onda

In 2022, Rio Loco, a festival that happens every year in Toulouse, chose Portugal and Portuguese Culture as that year’s focus. It was an enormous honor to be in Toulouse representing my country, especially having the opportunity to think and design such an enormous installation.

As a Portuguese artist, the festival's theme, "Nova Onda" felt close to me. As soon as I started sketching, the wave was a constant element in my compositions, either as a motif, background, or detail. As the drawing progressed, I noticed that the wave could symbolize several key concepts. 

There's an undeniable link between Portuguese identity and the ocean. The big shoreline with the Atlantic is a big part of our history but of our daily lives as well. The peaceful yet violent nature of the sea is an inspiration.

"Saudade" is the nostalgic feeling of longing for something that has passed, but newer generations are reinventing and rediscovering our history and traditions through it. The back and forth, the dynamism and the turmoil growing in Portugal are represented in this installation by its movement, the waves' motion, and the ties' rising.

Promoter
Rio Loco

Materials
Wool and plywood

Location 
Toulouse, France
Year 
2022

 

Fragments

The Crystal Ship

Promoter
Crystalship
Location
Ostend, Belgium

Materials 
Wool and plywood
Year
2022

 

// Archive //

I created this installation for Festival Batom at Casa Bissaia Barreto in Coimbra, Portugal. Festival Batom is a project that celebrates and brings together inspiring women from all artistic fields.

//Archive// is designed to resemble a personal reference library, showcasing what inspires me as a woman and an artist. The composition features an array of images, ranging from traditional floral patterns to coding language, incorporating fluid graphics and female references. The graphics are thoughtfully arranged in a way that creates a mood board effect, with each picture overlapping the other to create an illusion of layers. The installation's outline follows the lines of the stairs, resulting in a site-specific artwork that blends seamlessly with the building.

For this intervention, I opted for the large-scale cross-stitch technique I invented. Since it's an outdoor permanent installation, I opted for all-black Arraiolos wool. Black is the color with the longest longevity and is least likely to fade in sunlight. Arraiolos wool is composed of 100% natural fibers and is super thick and rough; it can support a lot of weight and still keep its shape for a very long time, hence the reason why the Portuguese use it for their best-known Arraiolos tapestries.

 

Promoter
Festival Batom

Materials 
Wool + screws 

Location
Casa das Artes Bissaya Barreto, Portugal
Year 
2012

Freedom

No Walls Oeiras

Location 
Oeiras, Portugal

Materials 
Wool and plywood
Curatorship
Mistaker Maker
Year 
2021

 

Urban Week Paris

There’s something that calls more and more my attention,
especially when looking at the evolution of fields such as arts, music, or architecture:
the new dynamics and solutions created by the overlapping of the digital and analog processes, taking the best of computing and the physical experience of the materials.

In this piece, I focused specifically on this fine line. Although my process is super analog my goal is that the final result keeps the digital aesthetic, creating a deep fusion between the pixel and the cross.

 

Promoter and Curatorship
Quai 36

Materials
Wool and plywood
Location
Paris, France

Year

2021

Timeline

"Timeline" is a work that explores the concept of time, especially the idea of a complex and extensive line with a beginning and end. Like any timeline, I tried to find and embroider different rhythms, densities and weights. The triptych evokes the idea of time and chapters, directly inspired by the three fundamental phases of all stories: beginning, middle and end.

Materials 
Burlap fabric and wool

Size 
1,7x0,85m (each

Year
2022

Matriz

"Matriz" is a tribute to all great-grandmothers, grandmothers, and mothers who teach things that we carry for our entire lives. A special homage to Narcisa, my great-grandma who not only knitted my first (pink) coat but also taught me how to knit my very first piece.
An installation that would not make sense anywhere else but in Covilhã, the city with more history and knowledge in wool production in Portugal.

Installation produced during the 2018 edition of the WOOL Urban Art Festival. It is now permanently displayed at Casa dos Magistrados in the historic center of Covilhã.

Promoter & Curatorship
WOOL Urban Art Festival

Materials 
Wool and plywood

Location 
Casa dos Magistrados, Covilhã, Portugal
Year 
2018