Born and based in Maputo, Mário Macilau began photographing in 2003 and by 2007 had dedicated himself solely to his practice, when he traded his mother’s cellphone for his first camera. Mario specialized his work in long-term projects, focusing on the working, living and environmental conditions of socially isolated groups. His work has been recognized in Mozambique and all over the world, through individual and collective exhibitions. Macilau is part of the itinerant exhibition “Making Africa: A Continent of Contemporary Design,” curated by Amelie Klein with the counsel of Okwui Enwezor for the Vitra Design Museum. His recent exhibition, Faith’ documents the practice of ‘animism’ in contemporary Mozambique. This form of animism comes from traditional religions, in which members believe in the existence of individual spirits that inhabit natural objects and phenomena (whereby the spirits of ancestors can affect the lives of the living). Through their practices, these traditional religions preserve ancient traditions of Mozambican cultures. These practices involve teachings, traditional medicine, healing methods, rites of passage for young men and women, and advise on appropriate conduct between members of the community. They reflect local and yet diverse conceptions of God and the cosmos
