Biography of the artist

João Leonardo (Odemira, 1974) graduated in Art History from the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa in 1996. He attended the Independent Study Programme at Maumaus School of Visual Arts in 2003. He finished his Masters at Malmö Art Academy, Lund University, in 2009 with a study grant from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. He was artist in residence at the International Künstlerhaus Villa Concordia (Bamberg, 2010-2011) and winner of the EDP Foundation’s New Artists Award (2005).

He has exhibited regularly since 2002. Highlights among his recent solo exhibitions include Europa: Polar Shift at the Museu de Portimão; Flying High, Falling Low at Galeria 111, in Lisbon and Porto; Breathe in, breathe out, Galleri Mors Mössa in Gothenburg and Seven Seconds, Martin Bryder Gallery, Lund, Sweden.

It is also worth mentioning his participation in group exhibitions such as Fazer sentido (Making Sense), Casa da Cerca, Almada (curated by Emília Ferreira); Estranhos dias recentes de um tempo menos feliz (Strange Recent Days in Less Happy Times), Atelier-Museu Julio Pomar (curated by Hugo Diniz); P. - Uma homenagem a Paulo Cunha e Silva, por extenso (P. – A tribute to Paulo Cunha e Silva, in full), Galeria Municipal do Porto (curated by Miguel von Hafe Pérez); Um horizonte de proximidades: uma topologia a partir da colecção António Cachola (A horizon of proximities: a topology from the António Cachola Collection), Arquipélago – Contemporary Arts Centre, São Miguel (curated by Sergio Mah). His work is represented in the collections of Manuel de Brito, António Cachola, EDP Foundation, Museu de Arte do Rio (Brazil) and Danfoss Art Foundation (Nordborg, Denmark).