Artist Talk: Cláudia Furtado

Date: Wednesday, July 22nd

DATMA & Hotel Papel welcome Azorean artist, Cláudia Furtado to speak for the first time in New Bedford about her scrimshaw practice and being one of the last to practice this traditional folk art. The talk will be followed by a preview of a docu-short by local filmmaker, Carley Byers, who beautifully captured footage of Cláudia Furtado in her studio in Faial during the Hotel Papel artist residency program in January 2026. Concluding the talk and docu-short will be a Q&A with Cláudia Furtado, Carley Byers, and Lara Harrington the Hotel Papel founder who brought them together.

Cláudia Furtado is a visual artist from Faial Island, Azores, holding a degree in Fine Arts and New Media. Her work is deeply connected to Azorean whaling heritage and contemporary scrimshaw art, exploring themes of memory, maritime culture, and the historical relationship between the Azores and New Bedford. Through drawing, engraving, and interdisciplinary artistic practices, she approaches themes related to Atlantic identity, cultural heritage, and the preservation of whaling traditions within a contemporary artistic context. Furtado has participated in exhibitions and cultural initiatives dedicated to the promotion of Azorean identity and Atlantic heritage.”