Mário Macilau (1984, Mozambique) was born in Maputo where he currently lives and works. In newly independent Mozambique, during the most critical phase of the civil war, his family struggled with financial difficulties and moved from the province of Inhambane to Maputo capital in search of a better life. At the age of ten, he began to work in a small market frequented by the middle / upper class and helping to carry the groceries and washing cars at the park in an effort to support his family.
Macilau started his journey as photographer in 2003 and went professional when he traded his mother’s cell phone for his first camera in 2007, he specializes in long term projects that focus on living and environmental conditions over the time that affects the social isolated groups. His work has been recognized with awards and featured regularly in numerous solo and group exhibitions both in his home country and abroad including: The Pan African group exhibition during the Biennale of African Photography in Bamako, Mali 2011, VI Chobi Mela Photo Festival in Dhaka, Bangladesh 2011, Photo Spring in Beijing, China 2011, Lagos Photo in Lagos, Nigeria, 2011, BESphoto at CCB – Centro Cultural de Belém in Lisbon, Portugal 2011 and Pinacoteca de Estado de São Paulo in Brazil, the KLM in Kuala Lumpur, Malasya , 2012, The Johannesburg Art Fair 2013, Les Recontres Picha in Lubumbashi, RD Congo, 2013, The Biennale Arts Actuels in Saint Dinis, Reunion Island 2013, The African Art Auction in London, England, 2013 and among others. He has also completed a number of artistic residencies.
He was named one of Foreign Policy’s 100 Global Thinkers of 2015 for his standout contributions in using photography as his language to educate and inform for positive changes and influences.
