A collection belonging to the renowned artist Mísia is set to go under the hammer, including items such as dresses, jewelry, feathers, shawls, hats, paintings, and photographs, some of which are previously unseen. The decision to auction these items was announced last November by one of her heirs.
In October of last year, during a press conference, Sebastian Filgueiras, one of the heirs of the creator of ‘Se a Morte me despisse’, stated that the auction aligns with the wishes of many fans who wish to own a memento of the artist.
Filgueiras, who is a friend and one of the three heirs of Mísia, remarked that the proceeds from the auction “are intended for the construction of a tomb, a final tribute worthy of Mísia’s career.”
The ashes of the fado singer rest at the Alto de S. João Cemetery in Lisbon.
The auction items will be available for public viewing in Lisbon at the auction house located on Avenida Álvares Cabral in Estrela.
Besides Sebastian Filgueiras, the other two heirs are Isaac Barros and Rizério Salgado.
Filgueiras stated that one of the stage dresses will be donated to the Fado Museum, while two others have already been donated to the Museum of Design (MUDE) in Lisbon.
Speaking to Lusa, Filgueiras mentioned that the item with the highest starting bid, 800 euros, is a dress by Ana Salazar worn by the singer in the music video for the fado ‘O Manto da Rainha’, directed by John Turturro in 1991 and filmed in the Queens borough of New York City.
Among the items going up for auction, Filgueiras also listed paintings by Bela Silva and Ana Perez Quiroga, as well as jewelry designed by Valentim Quaresma.
When questioned about the tomb project, Sebastian Filgueiras noted that it “is underway” and involves collaboration with architect Teresa Nunes da Ponte.
The house where the singer lived, located at Alto de Santa Catarina in Lisbon, was purchased from the singer by the Kees Eijrond Foundation and has been hosting artist residencies.
The executive director of the Foundation, Mirna Queiroz, commented last October that while the project “was conceived, it was not fully detailed” with the singer, who had established contact with the Dutch institution two years ago.
The plan aims to not only open up the residence to artist residencies but also to host international artists visiting Lisbon, according to Mirna Queiroz, emphasizing that the goal is “to keep Mísia’s legacy alive.”
When the Casa Mísia Artistic Residencies program was introduced last October, the Foundation expressed interest in acquiring some pieces.
Mísia, who was regarded as an innovator of the musical genre, passed away at the age of 69 in Lisbon on July 27 of last year.
Born Susana Maria Alfonso de Aguiar in Porto, she enjoyed a career spanning approximately 34 years, performing on stages worldwide and receiving numerous accolades.
Mísia released her debut eponymous album in 1991.
Bids for the auction can be placed starting on the upcoming 31st via the platform https://renascimento-sa.liveauctions.pt/Auctions/Online accessible through the auction house’s website.
