Kiki Sophia

Education & Formation
Ongoing research in painting, with a focus on women artists and contemporary female perspectives

Selected Exhibitions and Works
2026, DUPLEX AIR residency, Lisboa (PT)
2023, Sakura Kiki, 2023, Galerie PPC, Paris (FR)
2022, Liberdade, Mural at Jardim da República, Santarém (PT)
2022, I Need to Start a Garden, Palácio Chiado, Lisboa (PT)
2021, Espaço Ocupado, Museu de Lamego (PT)
2021, I Woke Up With My Mouth Filled With Petals, Corrente, Lisboa (PT)

Gleb: Your works feel so emotionally sensitive. The large eyes drawn from anime clearly play a role in conveying that — but could you tell me more about your relationship to anime? Did it come to you intuitively, or is it connected to memory?

Sophia: There is definitely a connection to memory and my upbringing, especially anime like Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura, for example. I think there's a nostalgic side to my work that I like to explore.
I spend a lot of time researching art, especially art made by women, but I also spend a lot of time trying to know myself more and more, because I believe that's the only way to produce really authentic work that feels different from everything else. I think only when you move with genuine intentions can you portray some kind of purity. It's something you can feel clearly, and it's very important to me.
So in the end, I think memory plays a role in intuition and in the way we relate and react to our emotions. Anime is both an influence and also a visual language I naturally understand.

Gleb: I sense a thread of dreamlike motifs running through your work. Is that a reflection of your personal vision of the world?

Sophia: Yes, I'm definitely a dreamer. I believe in dreams. Of course there's also a lot of darkness in this world and pain that we all deal with, but I still have hope. Some days I feel more hopeful than others, but I think they're all part of it, and there's a painting for every mood.
I believe in the power of kindness and love, even if it can sometimes feel fragile. I really like the complexity of the world and the human experience and I think it's all worth portraying. The sadness you also feel when you are so in love or the glimpse of gratitude for being alive while grieving. I feel like magic is everywhere, even if it's hard to explain sometimes, so maybe I try to paint it instead.

Gleb: How do you think about femininity when creating your female characters? Are they reflections of personal experience, observations of the world around you, or something else entirely?

Sophia: Yes, they usually come from personal experience. Sometimes I think about female figures that inspire me, like I did for Lilith, or even certain movements like Riot Grrrl. But yes ultimately, I feel that if I want my work to be honest, then I also need to speak honestly through my own experiences.
I think femininity has often been explored through a male lens, and diminished or misappropriated in the process. I want to portray a femininity that feels more real and reclaim it through a female lens.