Luísa Especial has worked on several projects related to curating, writing and research for a diverse range of museums and art collections such as Museu Colecção Berardo, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves, BES Arte & Finança, Ellipse Foundation and Museu da Presidência da República. Graduated in Art History in 2003 (FLUL, Lisbon), she obtained her MA in Curatorial Studies (FBAUL, Lisbon) in 2007. She has just finished writing her PhD dissertation in Sociology of Art (ISCTE, Lisbon), dedicated to art curators, offering a comprehensive approach, combining theoretical perspectives and empirical data, focusing on representations, paths and practices. For pursuing both dissertations she received grants from the Fundação para a Ciência e para a Tecnologia (FCT). As an independent curator she has organized exhibitions such as Forces (Art Algarve 2009, Museu de Portimão) and All work and no play (Plataforma Revólver, 2008). Occasionally, she lectures and teaches on contents related to her research. Luísa has also participated as a jury for selecting artistic projects (Gulbenkian Foundation).
Having recently completed with RU a 6 months INOV-Art Programme Fellowship (supported by General-Directorate for the Arts, Ministry of Culture in Portugal), Luisa has returned to Portugal and is operating as RU’s Curatorial Consultant.
