Vasco Manhiça

 

BORN IN 1978 IN NAMPULA, A NORTHEN PROVINCE OF MOZAMBIQUE AND GREW UP IN AEROPORTO NEIGHBOURHOOD, ONE OF  THE SUBURBS OF MAPUTO CITY.

 

Vasco Manhiça graduated in 1998 in graphic design from the National School of Visual Arts in Maputo (middle level) and, in media design from the ca.Medien college in Essen, Germany, in 2011.

 

His works are characterized by the mixed use of techniques and warm colors where one notices, a predominance of the use of the stain and drawings, which remind us of the infantile expression or the graffiti of the suburban areas of Maputo, and, recently, by the introduction of collage, aided by writings where words supports the proposal that the artist tries to present us from his analyzes about his social daily life. 

 

The most recent works by Vasco Manhiça deal with the issue of the economic and political crisis that is been faced, in this particular case, in his homecountry, Mozambique, having as object of study and source of inspiration the popular manifestations in form of graffiti in the suburbs of Maputo where the artist is now based.

 

Since 1995, he has participated in collective exhibitions, workshops and artists residency programs in Mozambique, Portugal, Germany, South Africa, Senegal and Nigeria. He presented his 4th solo exhibitions in 2015.

 

Vasco Manhiça has already been distinguished with several national awards in Mozambique: 1998 - 2nd Prize - Annual MUSART - National Museum of Art, Mozambique; 1999 - 1st Prize (Drawing) - TDM Biennial - Telecommunications of Mozambique.

 

His work is represented in the National Museum of Art in Maputo, in the TDM Museum (Mozambique Telecom) in Maputo and in several private collections in Mozambique, Portugal, Germany, France, Holland, South Africa, Brasil and in the USA.

 

Lives and works in Mozambique after several years in Germany.