Matilde Chora

Matilde Chora (SHORA) is a Portuguese visual artist based in London whose practice sits at the intersection of surrealism and contemporary figurative painting. Working primarily in acrylic, she explores feelings of modern nihilism, identity, performativity, and the psychological effects of growing up in a dying world within cultures shaped by misogyny, digital media, and social fragmentation.

Central to her work is the tension between appearance and essence. Through distorted figures, fragmented bodies, and theatrical settings, Matilde constructs psychological landscapes that blur the boundaries between inner experience and external reality. Her paintings examine how validation, entertainment, and belonging can obscure deeper questions of character, agency, and selfhood. Images that initially appear playful or familiar often reveal underlying unease, exposing the violence, vulnerability, and contradictions embedded within contemporary life.

Recurring themes of childhood, womanhood, and adultification inform her exploration of how young people (particularly girls) are shaped by systems of performance, consumption, and visibility. Drawing from popular culture, cinema, advertising, and digital iconography, her work reflects on a gen...

Originally from Portugal, Matilde was raised in a working-class household by a single mother and came to art outside traditional pathways of financial and institutional support. After initially pursuing a degree in Law, she moved to London in 2021, a pivotal moment that enabled her to reconnect with her artistic practice.

Alongside her work as an artist, she works within the non-profit sector, supporting the rehabilitation of prison leavers and young people affected by gang violence. Her experiences across these social contexts inform a practice shaped by resilience, human complexity, and the intersections of identity, belonging, and transformation.

Longlisted by Saatchi Gallery ArtEvol (2025)
'Pertinacious' group exhibition at LumiNoir Art Gallery, London (2025)
'Winter Art Market' at LumiNoir Art Gallery, London (2025)
'Duality' group exhibition by Indra Gallery, London (2025)
Solo exhibition 'Inherent Vice' at Casa do Largo, Portugal (2019)
Solo exhibition 'J’Aime Mes Démons' at La Bohème, Portugal (2018)