Mário Macilau Mozambique, b. 1984
Biography
“I consider my photographic practice to be a visual investigation, taking a critical view on identity, political issues, and environmental conditions."
Mário Macilau was born in Maputo, Mozambique, in 1984, and he still calls it home.
His journey into photography began in 2003, but it wasn't until 2007, when he swapped his mother’s cellphone for his first camera, that he turned professional. Specializing in immersive, long-term projects, Macilau traverses a kaleidoscope of themes, from identity and politics to environmental concerns and the narratives of marginalized communities. Through his lens, he endeavors to ignite transformative conversations that transcend borders, cultures, and perspectives.
Portraiture, for Macilau, serves as a gateway to intimacy, a vessel through which broader narratives unfold. His signature style, characterized by rich monochromatic compositions adorned with muted tones and textures, captures the essence of his subjects with profound depth and sensitivity. Utilizing natural light and depth of field, he orchestrates a chiaroscuro of light and shadow, infusing his images with a nuanced and poetic aura.
Beyond his artistic endeavors, Macilau is deeply engaged in collaborative and educational initiatives. As an activist with Walking Together (WT), he champions children’s rights and advocates for access to education, empowering individuals to transcend their circumstances and forge paths of self-determination.
Macilau's impact resonates far beyond the confines of his lens, earning him recognition on the global stage. From prestigious exhibitions at the United Nations Office, World Press Photo, and the Universal Rights Group (2016), to being named one of Foreign Policy’s “100 Leading Global Thinkers” (2015), his contributions have sparked dialogue and inspired change. Harvard University and the Boston Global Forum (BGF) have both welcomed him as a distinguished speaker (2015), underscoring his role as a catalyst for social transformation. The BGF also selected Macilau to be a Michael Dukakis Leadership Fellow (2016-2017). His accolades include the European Union Award for Environment (2015), the UNESCO-Aschberg Bursary for Visual Arts (2014), and the Africa Centre’s Fountainhead Residency Award (2014), among others.
His work regularly graces the walls of galleries and museums worldwide. Recently, Mário Macilau’s photographs have been showcased in the prestigious venue of Tate Modern London, within the exhibition A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography curated by Osei Bonsu (2023-2024). He was also one of three artists presented at the Pavilion of the Holy See at the 56th Venice Biennale (2015), with a body of work also presented at Volta NY (2016). Also in 2015, Macilau’s work was included in the Vitra Design Museum’s exhibition Making Africa: A Continent of Contemporary Design curated by Amelie Klein with Okwui Enwezor as Consulting Curator. Other notable shows include Entry Prohibited to Foreigners curated by Elise Atangana at the Havremagasinet Boden Art Center, Sweden (2015), Pangea: New Art from Africa and Latin America at Saatchi Gallery, London (2014), Fotofest Biennial, Houston (2014), International Biennial of Casablanca, Morocco (2014), Tempo Galeria Belo-Galsterer, Lisboa (2013), Dak’art Biennial OFF, Dakar (2012), Rencontres de Bamako, Bamako (2011), VI Chobi Mela Photo Festival, Dhaka (2011), Photo Spring, Beijing (2011), and Lagos Photo, Lagos (2010 & 2011).
Through his seminal monograph “Growing in Darkness”, presented at Fotofestiwal in Łódź, Poland, within a solo exhibition entitled Discovery Show (2015), Macilau invites viewers on a contemplative journey, exploring themes of resilience, transition, and the human spirit. Other notable solo shows includes The Road Not Taken at The Auction Room, London (2015), Nada Como O Tempo curated by Berry Bickle at Kulungwana Gallery in Maputo (2015), Fora da Cidade at Blank Projects, Cape Town (2014), and Moments of Transition at Belo-Galsterer Gallery, Lisboa (2014). Moreover, Macilau’s work is held in many private and public collections.
Mário Macilau's legacy transcends the confines of art, echoing in the hearts and minds of those touched by his profound vision of humanity.
Works
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
- Mario MacilauUntitledFine Art Archival Print on Hahnemuhle 310grs, 100% cotton rag paper80 x 120 cm
Exhibitions
Publications
Press
A World in Common: Mozambican Mário Macilau in group exhibition in Berlin
Club of Mozambique, 21 January 2025Unspoken Wars - ricordare le guerre dimenticate
Fiorella Pagotto, Venice Art Guide, 3 June 2024Beyond the Biennale - A Guide to Must-See Art Exhibitions in Venice
ArtRabbit, ArtRabbit, 24 April 2024Biennale e dintorni, cosa vedere a Venezia #5: da San Marco a San Servolo
Redazione, Exibart, 19 April 2024Arte contemporanea: le mostre da vedere in APRILE 2024
Alice Traforti, The Art Post Blog, 28 March 2024Through 'Unspoken Wars' AKKA Project challenges perceptions through narratives
The exhibition featuring works by Mário Macilau and Nahom Teklehaimanot aims to unravel hidden narratives and foster empathy through art, parallel to the Venice Art Biennale 2024.AKKA Project, STIRpad, 14 March 2024History, Identity, Imagination: African Photography In London
An exhibition of contemporary African photography is on at the Tate Modern in London. This writer left not with a sense of a completed narrative, but with a feeling of energized possibility, and the rush of discovering fresh, reconfigured horizons.Alastair Hagger, Forbes Africa, 1 December 2023A WORLD IN COMMON: CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN PHOTOGRAPHY | TATE MODERN
Emily Ranieri, Musée Magazine, 1 August 2023MÁRIO MACILAU: A WORLD IN COMMON
AT TATE MODERN, JULY 6 2023 TO 14 JANUARY 2024ED CROSS, 4 July 2023Examining 'A World In Common' at the photography exhibition at Tate Modern
The modern photography exhibition 'A World In Common' by Tate Modern looks at the dynamic landscape of photography and video from the African diaspora.Vatsala Sethi, stirworld, 24 May 2023Il prezzo del nostro gas
Internazionale, 12 May 2023Tate: Breaking News
Mário Macilau hopes his poetic photographs of workers on a waste site in Maputo, Mozambique give a voice to the voicelessTate, 24 January 2023Exhibition – Mário Macilau: Speaking… and there is still no one to hear me
Contemporary and, 9 October 2018MÁRIO MACILAU, UN FOTOGRAFO AFRICANO ALLA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA
Alessio Santiago Policarpo, arteoggi, 17 June 2016Monika Bravo, Mario Macilau, Elpida Hazdi Vasileva. Ecco gli artisti presenti nel padiglione della Santa Sede alla Biennale di Venezia 2015. Costo, 400mila euro
DALLA PAROLA ALLA CARNE, ALL’ARTE “La parola si fece carne”, e oggi diviene arte. La Santa Sede sperimenta. E dal 9 maggio torna, per la seconda volta nella sua storia, alla Biennale di Venezia con un padiglione di arte contemporanea dedicato. “Arte e fedGeraldine Schwarz, Artribune, 10 April 2015
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