Maria da Graça Dias Coelho Carmona e Costa, Co-Founder and President of the Board of Directors of the Victor e Graça Carmona e Costa Foundation, passed away today at the age of 91.
Her disappearance represents a huge loss for the family, for the Foundation and, we are certain, for all those who, over more than five decades, supported without reservation, enthusiastically promoting the dynamism of Portuguese art.
From her collaboration with Galeria Quadrum, in Lisbon, to the creation and management of her own space, Giefarte, and the creation and administration of the Foundation that, with her husband, she established, which her incessant energy, curiosity and generosity was placed at the service of art and artists. He supported other museums, cultural associations, publishers..., but his love was directed in particular to the artists he directly supported, namely by establishing at the Foundation one of the richest collections of contemporary Portuguese art.
This collection is now on display (under the title « Family Album ») in a joint initiative by the EDP/MAAT Foundation and the Carmona e Costa Foundation, in the spaces of both institutions and justifies in itself the mission of his life.
Public authorities have recognized its role in the development of Portuguese contemporary art several times, having been awarded the Municipal Medal of Cultural Merit by the Lisbon City Council in 2016, by the Ministry of Culture with the Medal of Cultural Merit in 2018, by the Presidency of Republic in 2019 was awarded Commander of the Order of Merit, and finally in 2020, by the Vatican, decorated with Dame of the Equestrian Order of Saint Gregory Magno for his services to the Church and Humanity.
Source: Press release from the Victor and Graça Carmona e Costa Foundation