Luís Damião Angola, b. 1978
Overview
Luís Damião is best known for his photography work, which integrates a strong component of research and experimentation. Namely, the artist focuses on developing unconventional production and presentation methods, integrating a generation of emerging artists whose new perspectives around traditional compositions are highly influenced by the age of digital technology and image manipulation.
Aesthetically, his constructions often refer to the universe of documentary photography, but simultaneously to an elaborate staging of the images. This performative aspect of his work results in the recurring fading of the border between what is real - documental - and what is fiction and is often used to emphasize proposals for reflection on the social and political experiences of Luanda’s urban context.
Luís Damião was born into a family with strong artistic roots, his father Paulino Damião (Kota 50) being a photographer and photojournalist, and his brother Lino Damião, also an artist. Influenced and incentivized by his family, he was early involved in the art world as an autodidact. Later on, he attended the Visual Arts course at the former Barracão, organized by the Swedish Embassy in Angola, and in 2002, presented himself publicly for the first time. Since then, he has been exhibiting and collaborating on cultural projects regularly.
In 2020, his work “Coronavírus” was awarded the special prize of photography and the Alliance Française Prize – Ensa Arte 2020, in Luanda. As part of this award, Damião took part in an artistic residency in Paris in 2021, funded by the Embassy of France. In the same year, he completed two other artistic residencies: in Lisbon, supported by THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE Art Gallery, and in Porto, by d’O INSTITUTO. Furthermore, in the context of AKKA – Art & Design Fair 2021, the book “À rebrousse-temps” - which includes an essay devoted to Damião’s artistic production by the curator Dénètem Touam - was launched.
Works
Exhibitions
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EMBODIED NARRATIVES
International group show 21 May - 13 July 2024The show explores a wide variety of media, including painting, ceramics, photography and installation, and encapsulates a growing trend in contemporary African art, which emphasizes figuration and portraiture as vehicles...Read more -
NATUREZA VICIADA
Solo Show by Luís Damião 14 December 2023 - 16 February 2024We are pleased to present: 'Natureza Viciada', a solo exhibition by the photographer Luís Damião. With a curatorial text by Graça Rodrigues and Jamil 'Parasol' Osmar, the exhibition stems from...Read more -
BEYOND BOUNDARIES
GROUP SHOW: Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, Luís Damião, Nelo Teixeira, Rómulo Santa Rita, Uólofe Griot and Samuel Nnorom 25 October 2023 - 9 February 2024We are pleased to present the group exhibition 'Beyond Boundaries'. With works by Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, Luís Damião, Nelo Teixeira, Rómulo Santa Rita, Uólofe Griot and Samuel Nnorom, the...Read more -
PARAGONE: What’s with mediums today?
INTERNATIONAL GROUP SHOW 26 May - 20 August 2023In the context of the Lisbon Art Week, the international contemporary art exhibition 'PARAGONE: What's with mediums today?' will open on May 26, in three exhibition centres: Cape Verde Cultural...Read more
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UNTITLED 3
Group Show: Banco Económico Gallery 4 May - 23 June 2023THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE is pleased to announce the third edition of the group exhibition 'UNTITLED 3 - O Vendedor de Passados', opening on May 04. The show...Read more -
Pocket Universes: The Policy of (Im)Possibilities
Group Show: Pedro Pires, Rómulo Santa Rita, Luís Damião, Benigno Nsito, Mariana Dias Coutinho, Stephané E. Conradie, Uolofe, Sapate, Mumpasi Meso, and Osvaldo Ferreira 27 January - 31 May 2023THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE gallery presents on January 27th, in Luanda, the group exhibition: “Pocket Universes: The Politics of (Im) Possibilities”. Curated by Jamil “Parasol” Osmar, the exhibition...Read more -
(IM)MATERIALITY
Group Show: Águeda's Art Center 1 October 2022 - 15 January 2023Following the success achieved during the presentation in Lisbon, and at the invitation of Águeda's Municipality, the exhibition (IM)MATERIALITY will itinerate to Águeda Arts Center in October. “(IM)MATERIALITY” promotes a...Read more -
(IM)MATERIALITY
GROUP SHOW: Not a Museum 20 May - 12 August 2022'(IM)MATERIALITY' is curated by Graça Rodrigues, Sónia Ribeiro, Katherine Sirois, Lourenço Egreja, and Diogo Bento, and exhibits, through three distinct nuclei, a significant combination of media, ranging from painting to...Read more
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Reflect #2 - FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES
GROUP SHOW: THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART, BELGRADE (SERBIA) 13 April - 31 August 2022The exhibition 'Reflect#2 - FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES,' held at the Museum of African Art in Belgrade (Serbia) in collaboration with THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE Art Gallery, contains carefully...Read more -
DISCOURSES OF DECOLONIALITY
Group Show: Not a Museum 24 June - 30 September 2020THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE art gallery, in partnership with Not A Museum - Art Mexto, presents the exhibition “Discourses of Decoloniality'. It will be on display between June...Read more -
Luís Damião - Photography
Solo Show: Luís Damião 18 December 2019 - 31 January 2020THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE Art Gallery presents from December 18 to January 31, 2020, a solo exhibition by the Angolan artist Luís Damião. The exhibition includes a set...Read more -
Intersections - Within the Global South
Group Show: Galeria Banco Económico 26 November 2019 - 16 January 2020THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE art gallery, the Banco Económico, and the South African Gallery MOMO, present, in Luanda: “Intersections - Within the Global South”. The exhibition puts in...Read more
Art Fairs
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ART FAIR LUANDA 2024
OSVALDO FERREIRA, RÓMULO SANTA RITA, LUÍS DAMIÃO, NELO TEIXEIRA, BENIGNO MANGOVO & PEDRO PIRES 19 - 21 April 2024Through this project, 'DISCURSOS DE COLONIALIDADE', the gallery aims to generate a dialogue among six Angolan artists reflecting on the concept of decoloniality and seeking...Read more -
African Galleries Now x Artsy 2022
Group Show: BARBARA WILDENBOER, OSVALDO FERREIRA, PATRICK BONGOY, and LUÍS DAMIÃO 30 March - 17 April 2022In the 2022 edition of “African Galleries Now,” THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE Art Gallery presents unique artworksby BARBARA WILDENBOER, OSVALDO FERREIRA, PATRICK BONGOY...Read more -
African Galleries Now x Artsy 2020
Group Show: ALIDA RODRIGUES, LUÍS DAMIÃO, RENÉ TAVARES, and OSVALDO FERREIRA 23 November - 13 December 2020THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE is showing a curated project with unreleased works of photography by ALIDA RODRIGUES (Angola), LUÍS DAMIÃO (Angola), and RENÉ...Read more -
ARCO Lisboa 2020
Group Show: Januário Jano, Patrick Bongoy, Pedro Pires, Nelo Teixeira, Gonçalo Mabunda, Luís Damião, and René Tavares 20 May - 14 June 2020For ARCO Art Fair 2020, This Is Not a White Cube presents a project connecting unreleased artworks by 7 contemporary artists from Angola, Mozambique, DRC,...Read more
Press
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Artists show collective performance at the Banco Económico gallery
Jornal O País, 28 November 2019 -
Painting of eight countries in collective show
Mário Cohen, Jornal de Angola, 29 November 2019 -
"Embodied Narratives"
Collective exhibition in Lisbone-cultura -
(IM)MATERIALITY Águeda's Art Centre
RTP, 8 October 2022 -
(IM)MATERIALITY: NOT A MUSEUM receives international art exhibition
por VÁRIOS, VOU SAIR , 14 August 2022 -
Águeda Arts Center hosts exhibition of more than 40 artists: a reflection on the materiality and immateriality
Comunidade Cultura e Arte, 26 September 2022 -
Angolan artists participate in international exhibition
Roque Silva, Jornal de Angola, 24 May 2023 -
Collective Exhibition: Intersections - Within the Global South
Juciria Rodrigues, Jornal Mercado, 2 December 2019 -
International Contemporary Art Exhibition will be in Lisbon starting May 26
Lusa e SIC Notícias, 16 May 2023 -
LUÍS DAMIÃO | EXHIBITES IN VILA ALICE, LUANDA
JORNAL ANGOLA, 25 December 2019 -
Photographer Luís Damião in artistic residence in Portugal
Jornal de Angola, 12 August 2021 -
REFLECT #2: FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES
por VÁRIOS, Buala, 13 April 2022 -
REFLECT #2: FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES The Museum of African Art, Belgrade
Ana Knezevic & Emilia Epstajn, ICOM National Committee Magazine, 15 September 2022 -
This Is NOT A White Cube e MOMO Gallery promovem exposição “Intersections – Within the Global South”
Jucíria Rodrigues, Jornal Vanguarda, 1 January 2020
Video
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BEYOND BOUNDARIES
VIDEO OF THE GROUP SHOW BY CRISTIANO MANGOVO, GONÇALO MABUNDA, LUÍS DAMIÃO, NELO TEIXEIRA, RÓMULO SANTA RITA, UÓLOFE GRIOT AND SAMUEL NNOROM 23 January 2024Read more -
Discourses de Decoloniality
24 June - 30 September 2020 23 March 2023Read more -
PARAGONE: What's with mediums today?
Group Show 29 June 2023Read more -
Art can help to overcome the post-colonial Portugal-Africa stigmas
Interview with Graça Rodrigues and João Paulo Sacadura 6 June 2022Interview with Graça Rodrigues, conducted by journalist João Paulo Sacadura for the Portuguese radio station 'Observador' - podcast 'Convidado Extra.' Graça Rodrigues is co-artistic director...Read more -
(IM)MATERIALITY
international art exhibition 1 July 2022Read more -
(IM)MATERIALITY
INTERNATIONAL GROUP SHOW AT ÁGUEDA ARTS CENTER 1 October 2022Read more
Publications
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NATUREZA VICIADA | Solo Show by Luís Damião
Exhibition Catalogue 2024A4, 52 pagesRead more
Publisher: THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE
Dimensions: 297 x 210 cm -
Reflect #2 - FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES
Exhibition Catalogue by The Museum of African Art - Belgrade Ana Knežević, Emilia Epštajn, Graça Rodrigues, Sónia Ribeiro, and Marcos Jinguba, 2022Book, 104 pagesRead more
Publisher: The Museum of African Art - the Veda and Dr. Zdravko Pečar Collection
Events
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ART FAIR LUANDA 2024
OSVALDO FERREIRA, RÓMULO SANTA RITA, LUÍS DAMIÃO, NELO TEIXEIRA, BENIGNO MANGOVO & PEDRO PIRES 19 - 21 April 2024Through this project, 'DISCURSOS DE COLONIALIDADE', the gallery aims to generate a dialogue among six Angolan artists reflecting on the concept of decoloniality and seeking...Read more -
Visions on Sustainability - A Journey through Art, Ethics and the Environment
ARTIST TALK AT CAMÕES - PORTUGUESE CULTURAL CENTRE, LUANDA 31 January 2024THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE gallery is thrilled to invite you to an evening of art and culture with the artist Luís Damião on...Read more -
COCKTAIL BACK TO CUBO
Pocket Universes: The Politics of (Im)Possibilities 27 January 2023Join us for a reconnection cocktail at 'Cubo'. In an open conversation about artistic models and practices, we welcome the South African artist Malebona Maphutse,...Read more -
African Galleries Now x Artsy 2022
Group Show: BARBARA WILDENBOER, OSVALDO FERREIRA, PATRICK BONGOY, and LUÍS DAMIÃO 30 March - 17 April 2022In the 2022 edition of “African Galleries Now,” THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE Art Gallery presents unique artworksby BARBARA WILDENBOER, OSVALDO FERREIRA, PATRICK BONGOY...Read more
Related content
-
"Embodied Narratives"
e-cultura 3 June 2024Read more -
EMBODIED NARRATIVES
International group show 21 May - 13 July 2024The show explores a wide variety of media, including painting, ceramics, photography and installation, and encapsulates a growing trend in contemporary African art, which emphasizes...Read more -
ART FAIR LUANDA 2024
OSVALDO FERREIRA, RÓMULO SANTA RITA, LUÍS DAMIÃO, NELO TEIXEIRA, BENIGNO MANGOVO & PEDRO PIRES 19 - 21 April 2024Through this project, 'DISCURSOS DE COLONIALIDADE', the gallery aims to generate a dialogue among six Angolan artists reflecting on the concept of decoloniality and seeking...Read more -
Visions on Sustainability - A Journey through Art, Ethics and the Environment
ARTIST TALK AT CAMÕES - PORTUGUESE CULTURAL CENTRE, LUANDA 31 January 2024THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE gallery is thrilled to invite you to an evening of art and culture with the artist Luís Damião on...Read more
-
BEYOND BOUNDARIES
VIDEO OF THE GROUP SHOW BY CRISTIANO MANGOVO, GONÇALO MABUNDA, LUÍS DAMIÃO, NELO TEIXEIRA, RÓMULO SANTA RITA, UÓLOFE GRIOT AND SAMUEL NNOROM 23 January 2024Read more -
NATUREZA VICIADA | Solo Show by Luís Damião
Exhibition Catalogue 5 January 2024Read more -
NATUREZA VICIADA
Solo Show by Luís Damião 14 December 2023 - 16 February 2024We are pleased to present: 'Natureza Viciada', a solo exhibition by the photographer Luís Damião. With a curatorial text by Graça Rodrigues and Jamil 'Parasol'...Read more -
BEYOND BOUNDARIES
GROUP SHOW: Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, Luís Damião, Nelo Teixeira, Rómulo Santa Rita, Uólofe Griot and Samuel Nnorom 25 October 2023 - 9 February 2024We are pleased to present the group exhibition 'Beyond Boundaries'. With works by Cristiano Mangovo, Gonçalo Mabunda, Luís Damião, Nelo Teixeira, Rómulo Santa Rita, Uólofe...Read more
-
PARAGONE: What's with mediums today?
Group Show 29 June 2023Read more -
PARAGONE: What’s with mediums today?
INTERNATIONAL GROUP SHOW 26 May - 20 August 2023In the context of the Lisbon Art Week, the international contemporary art exhibition 'PARAGONE: What's with mediums today?' will open on May 26, in three...Read more -
Angolan artists participate in international exhibition
Jornal de Angola 24 May 2023Read more -
International Contemporary Art Exhibition will be in Lisbon starting May 26
16 May 2023Read more
-
UNTITLED 3
Group Show: Banco Económico Gallery 4 May - 23 June 2023THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE is pleased to announce the third edition of the group exhibition 'UNTITLED 3 - O Vendedor de Passados', opening...Read more -
Discourses de Decoloniality
24 June - 30 September 2020 23 March 2023Read more -
COCKTAIL BACK TO CUBO
Pocket Universes: The Politics of (Im)Possibilities 27 January 2023Join us for a reconnection cocktail at 'Cubo'. In an open conversation about artistic models and practices, we welcome the South African artist Malebona Maphutse,...Read more -
Pocket Universes: The Policy of (Im)Possibilities
Group Show: Pedro Pires, Rómulo Santa Rita, Luís Damião, Benigno Nsito, Mariana Dias Coutinho, Stephané E. Conradie, Uolofe, Sapate, Mumpasi Meso, and Osvaldo Ferreira 27 January - 31 May 2023THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE gallery presents on January 27th, in Luanda, the group exhibition: “Pocket Universes: The Politics of (Im) Possibilities”. Curated by...Read more
-
(IM)MATERIALITY Águeda's Art Centre
RTP 8 October 2022RTP interview with Katherine Sirois about the Exhibition (IM)MATERIALITY in Águeda's Art Centre - THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE by Daniel CatalãoRead more -
(IM)MATERIALITY
Group Show: Águeda's Art Center 1 October 2022 - 15 January 2023Following the success achieved during the presentation in Lisbon, and at the invitation of Águeda's Municipality, the exhibition (IM)MATERIALITY will itinerate to Águeda Arts Center...Read more -
(IM)MATERIALITY
INTERNATIONAL GROUP SHOW AT ÁGUEDA ARTS CENTER 1 October 2022Read more -
Águeda Arts Center hosts exhibition of more than 40 artists: a reflection on the materiality and immateriality
Comunidade Cultura e Arte 26 September 2022Read more
-
REFLECT #2: FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES The Museum of African Art, Belgrade
ICOM National Committee Magazine 15 September 2022Read more -
Reflect #2 - FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES
Exhibition Catalogue by The Museum of African Art - Belgrade 31 August 2022The exhibition 'Reflect#2 - FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES,' held at the Museum of African Art in Belgrade (Serbia) in collaboration with THIS IS NOT A WHITE...Read more -
(IM)MATERIALITY: NOT A MUSEUM receives international art exhibition
VOU SAIR 14 August 2022Read more -
(IM)MATERIALITY
international art exhibition 1 July 2022Read more
-
Art can help to overcome the post-colonial Portugal-Africa stigmas
Interview with Graça Rodrigues and João Paulo Sacadura 6 June 2022Interview with Graça Rodrigues, conducted by journalist João Paulo Sacadura for the Portuguese radio station 'Observador' - podcast 'Convidado Extra.' Graça Rodrigues is co-artistic director...Read more -
(IM)MATERIALITY
GROUP SHOW: Not a Museum 20 May - 12 August 2022'(IM)MATERIALITY' is curated by Graça Rodrigues, Sónia Ribeiro, Katherine Sirois, Lourenço Egreja, and Diogo Bento, and exhibits, through three distinct nuclei, a significant combination of...Read more -
REFLECT #2: FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES
Buala 13 April 2022Read more -
Reflect #2 - FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES
GROUP SHOW: THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART, BELGRADE (SERBIA) 13 April - 31 August 2022The exhibition 'Reflect#2 - FRAGMENTS, FRAGILITIES, MEMORIES,' held at the Museum of African Art in Belgrade (Serbia) in collaboration with THIS IS NOT A WHITE...Read more
-
African Galleries Now x Artsy 2022
Group Show: BARBARA WILDENBOER, OSVALDO FERREIRA, PATRICK BONGOY, and LUÍS DAMIÃO 30 March - 17 April 2022In the 2022 edition of “African Galleries Now,” THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE Art Gallery presents unique artworksby BARBARA WILDENBOER, OSVALDO FERREIRA, PATRICK BONGOY...Read more -
Photographer Luís Damião in artistic residence in Portugal
Jornal de Angola 12 August 2021Read more -
African Galleries Now x Artsy 2020
Group Show: ALIDA RODRIGUES, LUÍS DAMIÃO, RENÉ TAVARES, and OSVALDO FERREIRA 23 November - 13 December 2020THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE is showing a curated project with unreleased works of photography by ALIDA RODRIGUES (Angola), LUÍS DAMIÃO (Angola), and RENÉ...Read more -
DISCOURSES OF DECOLONIALITY
Group Show: Not a Museum 24 June - 30 September 2020THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE art gallery, in partnership with Not A Museum - Art Mexto, presents the exhibition “Discourses of Decoloniality'. It will...Read more
-
ARCO Lisboa 2020
Group Show: Januário Jano, Patrick Bongoy, Pedro Pires, Nelo Teixeira, Gonçalo Mabunda, Luís Damião, and René Tavares 20 May - 14 June 2020For ARCO Art Fair 2020, This Is Not a White Cube presents a project connecting unreleased artworks by 7 contemporary artists from Angola, Mozambique, DRC,...Read more -
This Is NOT A White Cube e MOMO Gallery promovem exposição “Intersections – Within the Global South”
Jornal Vanguarda 1 January 2020Read more -
LUÍS DAMIÃO | EXHIBITES IN VILA ALICE, LUANDA
JORNAL ANGOLA 25 December 2019Read more -
Luís Damião - Photography
Solo Show: Luís Damião 18 December 2019 - 31 January 2020THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE Art Gallery presents from December 18 to January 31, 2020, a solo exhibition by the Angolan artist Luís Damião....Read more
-
Collective Exhibition: Intersections - Within the Global South
Jornal Mercado 2 December 2019Read more -
Painting of eight countries in collective show
Jornal de Angola 29 November 2019Read more -
Artists show collective performance at the Banco Económico gallery
Jornal O País 28 November 2019Read more -
Intersections - Within the Global South
Group Show: Galeria Banco Económico 26 November 2019 - 16 January 2020THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE art gallery, the Banco Económico, and the South African Gallery MOMO, present, in Luanda: “Intersections - Within the Global...Read more