Tam Monteiro (1982) - WE WERE EVERYTHING ONCE - XXL

"This painting is undoubtedly one of my favourites in all of my years as a painter. I don't fully understand it myself and probably never will, but it made me cry; something about it made me feel like prey impaled by a shrike, resigned to a state that was meant to be. Or maybe it's the bittersweet fate of the stars that eventually die out no matter how bright they burn.

To my lucky collector, you will be carrying a bigger, heavier piece of my heart with this one. And it's not a bad thing."

—Tam
Instagram: @tam_monteiro


TECHNICAL DETAILS

• Title: “We Were Everything Once”
• Artist: Tam Monteiro
• Year: 2026
• Technique: Mixed media on canvas, pastels, ink, oil and acrylic on canvas
• Dimensions: 114x100 cm (with 4-5 cm margin on all sides reserved for framing)

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• SHIPPING WITHOUT FRAME (rolled in a protective tube)
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ABOUT THE COLLECTION

“Dirty Ice Cream” is what we affectionately call sorbetes, a streetside ice cream beloved throughout the Philippines. It was traditionally hand-churned and sold by street vendors known as sorbeteros.

Rather than a verdict on hygiene, “dirty ice cream” became a fond, humble label that distinguished it from the “clean,” store-bought, commercial kind. Here, “dirty” evokes something joyful, comforting, and perhaps a little defiantly homemade. It has since become a nostalgic part of Filipino culture.

I remember waiting with the other kids in the midday sun for the sorbeteros as they pushed their boldly hand-painted wooden carts through the neighbourhood, ringing their bells for everyone to hear. They brought delightful chaos to the streets and wrapped even the hottest days in cold sweetness.

In much the same way, I hope my new paintings capture the spirit of this beloved treat. I’m rebelling against my own clean, structured visual language in pursuit of something raw and a little “dirty”: familiar, joyfully imperfect, and full of heart.


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ABOUT THE ARTIST

Tam Monteiro, (1982)
Philippine born and Portugal based artist.
Her works are held in commercial and private collections worldwide.
She is currently preparing for an upcoming exhibition in Lisbon.

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Tam Monteiro (b. 1982) is an Abstract Figurative painter based in Lisbon. She formally trained in interior design in London and has been painting professionally since 2018. Tam is a lifelong creative whose practice is shaped by extensive travels and a rich ethnic heritage, giving her work visual and cultural depth.

The influence of Max Ernst, Dorothea Tanning, and Paul Klee, is visible in her work’s complexity yet she commands a distinctly personal voice.

Her visual language explores emotional awakening, hope, renewal and resilience. These are channelled through vibrant colour, subtle shade and a compositional balance that an underlying sense of order and intention.

She has been exhibiting with local and international galleries since 2018 and her paintings are in private collections all over the world.

Tam is currently preparing for an upcoming exhibition in Lisbon.

EXHIBITIONS
Downtown Chiado, February 2022
Dia Internacional da Mulher, Espaço Arte Livre, March 2023
Lisbon International Contemporary Exhibition, Oct 2024
Golden Artist, May 2025