Artist Database

Mário Macilau is a Mozambican multidisciplinary artist based in Maputo and is best known for his photography. Macilau took up photography as a teenager and eventually swapped his mother’s cell phone for a Nikon camera in 2007, which launched his career as a professional photographer.

In his signature monochromatic tones, Macilau’s photographs explore identity politics, inequality, migration and environmental issues. He primarily works on long-term projects and often captures portraits which offer an intimate look into the themes he investigates.

Mário Macilau’s notable group and solo exhibitions include: A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography, Tate Modern, London (2023); Unseen, Amsterdam (2018); Songs of the Present, Musée de la Photographie de Saint Louis, Senegal (2018); Speaking… and there is still no one to hear me, Dubai (2018) and Afrique Capitales, La Villette, Paris (2017). Macilau was also one of three artists included in the Pavilion of the Holy See at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015.

Harvard University and the Boston Global Forum (BGF) selected Macilau as the 2016-2017 Michael Dukakis Leadership Fellow. He has also been awarded the European Union Award for Environment (2015), the UNESCO-Aschberg Bursary for Visual Arts (2014), and the Africa Centre’s Fountainhead Residency Award (2014).

Over and above his artistic career, Macilau is a dedicated activist who advocates for children’s rights and access to education. With a focus on collaborative educational projects, Macilau works with the outreach organisation Walking Together (WT), which aims to empower individuals through social outreach, health, and education initiatives.