Maya Fernandes Kempe
(1975, Berlin) is a ceramist, sculptor, and art tutor.
Artistic Practice & Exhibitions
Maya Fernandes Kempe has been exhibiting her ceramic sculptures in museums and galleries in her two home countries (Germany and Portugal) since 2016.
Her project “Seeds” was presented as a solo exhibition at the Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência (MUHNAC) in Lisbon and the Museu de Olaria in Barcelos. Her work “Zorra” has been on view at the Centro de Artes Caldas de Rainha, the Convento de Cristo in Tomar, and the Museu Ibérico de Arqueologia e de Arte (MIAA) in Abrantes, where it is now part of the permanent collection.
Her work also is represented by the gallery at Albuquerque Foundation in Sintra, Portugal.
Institutional Work & Teaching
In 2005, Maya founded Espaço Azul in Lisbon, a space dedicated to artistic experiences for children. Between 2007 and 2014, she collaborated with the State Museums of Berlin (SMB) on various community art projects.
Since 2009, she has lectured on Artistic and Aesthetic Education in Early Childhood at various higher education institutions in Germany and Portugal.
She is part of the Portuguese art collective Convergências and co-founder of Ateneu do Catorze, an artistic and cultural center in São Luís, Odemira.
Education& Artistic Development
She studied philosophy and contemporary German literature (NDL) at the Freie Universität Berlin and later graduated in Early Childhood Education at the Pestalozzi-Fröbel-Haus in Berlin and Art Pedagogy at the PÄDIKO Institute (Pädagogische Initiativen und Kommunikation) in Kiel.
Her formation in ceramic sculpture combines autodidactic practice with training alongside European sculptors such as Christina Raedecker-Warter, Philippe Chazot, Nathalie Schnider-Lang and Alberto Bustos.
Current Exhibitions
opening on the 13.05.26: Natureza Corpuscular, (curated by Marta de Menezes), Festival Florestas Marinhas, Vila Nova de Milfontes, PT
Solo Exhibitions
2025
Sementes e Criaturas Fantásticas, Museu de Olaria, Barcelos, PT.
2024
Sementes, Micro-Galeria artistas IN vitro, Ateneu do Catorze, São Luís, PT
Sementes, Espaço CRIAR, Odemira, PT
Sementes, Museu Nacional de História Natural e de Ciência (MUHNAC), Lisbon, PT
2020
Movement Miniatures, Galerie Frau Kette, Berlin, GER
2019
Beasts of the Urban Wilderness, Galerie Frau Kette, Berlin, GER
Beasts of the Urban Wilderness, Festival Giacometti, Ferreira do Alentejo, PT
2016
Beasts of the Urban Wilderness, Ein Laden, Berlin, GER
Duo Exhibitions
2025
LINHATERRA, Ana Baleia and Maya Fernandes Kempe, Galeria Três Sacadas, Odemira, PT
2021
Lugares mais leves que o ar, sculpture by Maya Fernandes Kempe and paintings by Martinho Costa, Casa Jaime Umbelino, Fábrica das Histórias, Torres Vedras, PT
Selected Group Exhibitions
2026
, Cerâmica XL, Museu Ibérico de Arqueologia e Arte (MIAA), Abrantes, PT
2025
Formas Naturais, Biblioteca Manuel Guimarães, Tomar, PT,
Cerâmica XL, Convento de Cristo, Tomar, PT
Amplitude, Solar dos Zagalos, Almada, PT
Cerâmica XL, Centro de Artes, Caldas da Rainha, PT
Cerâmica XL, Casa dos Patudos, Museu de Alpiarça, PT
2024
Fantastic Creatures, community art project under the artistic direction of Maya Fernandes Kempe: exhibition of 9 large sculptures made by Maya and about 50 sculptures made by the project participants. Public reading of 7 texts by invited writers and poets; Olaria Municipal de Odemira, PT
Roda em Roda, exhibition of the collectively created sculptures during a live performance, a project created and directed by artist Mariana Dias Coutinho, Olaria municipal, Odemira, PT
Cerâmicas de Odemira, Olaria Municipal de Odemira, PT
2023
Cerâmica de Autor, Convergências art collective, Galeria Atmosfera M, Lisbon, PT
2022
Os Sítios da Água, Complexo Cultural da Levada, Tomar, PT
Convergências, Oficina de Cultura, Almada, PT
Catorze Artistas at “D14 Catorze”, Ateneu do Catorze, São Luís, PT
Miniature, Espaço 62, Lisbon, PT
2021
Convergências V – Cerâmica de Autor, Galeria Arte Graça, Lisbon, PT
As últimas Fornadas, ceramic art show, Espaço CRIAR, Odemira, PT
2019
A Escultura Cerâmica vem a Banhos, Centro Cultural, Caldas da Rainha, PT
PARVA AREA, Ateneu do Catorze / Montras de São Luís, PT
Sopa dos Artistas 2019, Igreja da Misericórdia, Odemira, PT
2018
Raízes, Cultivamos Cultura (São Luís) and Museu Municipal Penafiel, PT
Sopa dos Artistas 2018, Igreja da Misericórdia, Odemira, PT
Catorze Artistas, Ateneu do Catorze, São Luís, PT
2017
Open Air Gallery, Berlin, GER
Eurofurence Art Show, Berlin, GER
2016
Group-show at Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin, GER
Artist Talks
2025
Museu Fundação Albuquerque, Sintra, PT
2024
Museu de História Natural e da Ciência (MUHNAC), Lisbon, PT
2023
Fem-Meeting, international conference of women in art and science
organized by Marta de Menezes and Dalila Honorato, Évora, PT
2018
Fem-Meeting, São Luís, PT
Residencies
2025
Liquid Earth, Wild Clay Potential, two month residency (supported by DgArtes) at Cultivamos Cultura, São Luís, PT
2024
Cerâmica XL: for weekends residency (DgArtes) with the traditional potter José Miguel Figueiredo, Olaria Talhas e Tradição, Asseiceira, PT
2023
Seeds, two month residency (Odemira Criativa) at Cultivamos Cultura, São Luís, PT
Symposia
2025
IX Simpósio de Escultura em Odemira
Collections
MIAA – Museu Ibérico de Arte e Arqueologia, Abrantes, PT
Cultivamos Cultura
Galerie Frau Kette
Private collections
