BIOGRAPHY
RitaGT is a critical and intervening artist, approaching themes such as memory, identity or the importance of human rights. Having lived in many different countries enables her to have a broader vision, valuing the historical points of view of many cultures. The colonial symbolism that is recurrent in her work defines her own identity and artistic language. The artist uses imagery, words and performance revealing a constant interrogation and experimentalism in both material and conceptual aspects.
She gained a BA in Communication Design from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto, concluded the Advanced Course in Visual Arts at Maumaus School of Visual Arts in Lisbon and attended to the MA program in Fine Arts from Malmö Art Academy – Lund University in Malmö, Sweden.
Rita GT is the founder of the e-studio Luanda project and the commissioner for the Angolan Pavilion, curated by António Ole at the 56th Venice Biennale (2015).
She’s being working actively between Portugal and Angola managing and curating several projects.
Explore her biography and works her Wikipedia page.
MAIN COLLECTIONS
Coleção de Arte Contemporânea do Estado Português; Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea (PT); Instituto Camões – Luanda (AO); António Cachola Collection, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Elvas (MACE), Elvas (PT); Câmara Municipal Viana do Castelo (PT); Museu de Artes Decorativas Viana do Castelo (PT); PLMJ Foundation (PT); Norlinda e José Lima Collection (PT); Figueiredo Ribeiro Collection (PT); Luís Ferreira Collection (PT); ACCA (AO); Joaquim Ferro Collection (PT). Private collections in Portugal, Angola, Brazil, Nigeria, The Netherlands, UK and USA.
PRIZES /GRANTS
2024 Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Grant (PT)
2020 Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Grant (PT)
2013 Moving Africa Grant, Goethe Institut, for the Johannesburg Workshop in Theory and Criticism, Wits University, Johannesburg, South Africa
2007/8 INOV-Art programme at the artist residency Capacete, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo Brazil
ARTISTIC RESIDENCIES
2025 Artworks, Amorim, Portugal
2023 Pivô, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil
2021 Home residency prize, Câmara Municipal de Viana do Castelo
Cucumbi, Barrancão- Alentejo, Portugal
2019 La Junqueira Artist in Residency, Lisbon, Portugal
2018 Yorkshire Sculpture Park Artist in Residency
Walk&Talk Azores Artist in Residency
2017 Iwaya Community – ICAF, Artists in Residence, Lagos, Nigeria
2013 Moving Africa Grant, Goethe Institut, for the Johannesburg Workshop in Theory and Criticism, Wits University, Johannesburg,South Africa
2007/8 INOV-Art programme at the artist residency Capacete, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo Brazil
2005 Artist residency at ZDB Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
Casino Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
RitaGT is a critical and intervening artist, approaching themes such as memory, identity or the importance of human rights. Having lived in many different countries enables her to have a broader vision, valuing the historical points of view of many cultures. The colonial symbolism that is recurrent in her work defines her own identity and artistic language. The artist uses imagery, words and performance revealing a constant interrogation and experimentalism in both material and conceptual aspects.
RitaGT gained a BA in Communication Design from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto, concluded the Advanced Course in Visual Arts at Maumaus School of Visual Arts in Lisbon and attended to the MA program in Fine Arts from Malmö Art Academy – Lund University in Malmö, Sweden.
Rita GT is the founder of the e-studio Luanda project and the commissioner for the Angolan Pavilion, curated by António Ole at the 56th Venice Biennale (2015).
She’s being working actively between Portugal and Angola managing and curating several projects.
MAIN COLLECTIONS:
Coleção de Arte Contemporânea do Estado Português; Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea (PT) ; Instituto Camões – Luanda (AO) ; António Cachola Collection, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Elvas (MACE), Elvas (PT) ; Câmara Municipal Viana do Castelo (PT) ; Museu de Artes Decorativas Viana do Castelo (PT); PLMJ Foundation (PT); Norlinda e José Lima Collection (PT); Fernando Ribeiro Collection (PT) ; ACCA (AO); Joaquim Ferro Collection (PT). Private collections in Portugal, Angola, Brazil, Nigeria, The Netherlands, UK and USA.
PRIZES /GRANTS
2024 Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Grant (PT)
2020 Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Grant (PT)
2013 Moving Africa Grant, Goethe Institut, for the Johannesburg Workshop in Theory and Criticism, Wits University, Johannesburg,South Africa
2007/8 INOV-Art programme at the artist residency Capacete, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo Brazil
ARTISTIC RESIDENCIES
2025 Artworks, Amorim, Portugal
2023 Pivô, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil
2021 Home residency prize, Câmara Municipal de Viana do Castelo
Cucumbi, Barrancão- Alentejo, Portugal
2019 La Junqueira Artist in Residency, Lisbon, Portugal
2018 Yorkshire Sculpture Park Artist in Residency
Walk&Talk Azores Artist in Residency
2017 Iwaya Community – ICAF, Artists in Residence, Lagos, Nigeria
2013 Moving Africa Grant, Goethe Institut, for the Johannesburg Workshop in Theory and Criticism, Wits University, Johannesburg,South Africa
2007/8 INOV-Art programme at the artist residency Capacete, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo Brazil
2005 Artist residency at ZDB Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
Casino Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
SELECTED
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024/2025 Commissioned public sculpture, City Hall of Viana do Castelo, Portugal
2024 No Bread for Us, Liget Galeria, Budapest, Hungary
2023 Dumping, Editoria, Porto, Portugal
2023 Post-Colonial Açorda, a food activation, Casa de Angola na Bahia, Pivô Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
2021/22 Cum Laude, Galeria Municipal de Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo, Portugal
2021 Cum Laude, Movart, Lisbon, Portugal
2021 Unearthing, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, UK
2019 1919, Nano Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
Recetáculo, Museu Carlos Machado, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal
Uíge, Casa dell Arte, Lisbon, Portugal
Museu duty free, Decorative Arts Museum, Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Museu duty free, ARCO Lisboa special projects, Portugal
(Re)membering/ (For)getting, Gallery Belo-Galsterer, Lisbon, Portugal
2018 School next door, Movart Gallery, Luanda, Angola
Acção Doméstico-Feminista ou Estudos sobre Cerâmica Portuguesa, Rua das Gaivotas 6, Lisbon, Portugal
School next door, 50 Golborne Gallery, London, UK
2017 Return to Earth, Gallery Belo-Galsterer, Lisbon, Portugal
Return to Earth. I am a Blackstar, Patch, Porto, Portugal
2015/16 We Shall Overcome! Museu do Chiado, Lisboa, Portugal
2014 Faces (Caras não Caras), Instituto Camões, Luanda, Angola
2012 AIR – African Industrial Revolution (collaboration with Francisco Vidal), UNAP – National Union of Visual Artists, Luanda Angola
Agora a seguir e como, Candonga Studio (collaboration with Francisco Vidal and Feedback studio), Museum of the City of Viana do Castelo, Portugal
2011 Candonga’s Message no2: Rhino and Elephant, Candonga Studio (collaboration with Francisco Vidal), National Museum of Natural History, Lisbon, Portugal
2010 Performance to Skype, New York City, USA
2010 Looting, Costume Museum, Viana do Castelo Biennial, Viana do Castelo, Portugal
2009 One Night [life] Event, Empty Cube, Lisbon, Portugal
Made in Europe: 10 Year Warranty, Gallery Reflexus, Porto, Portugal
2007 Tropicalismos Luso e outras Naturezas Mortas, PêSSEGOpráSEMANA, Porto, Portugal
SELECTED
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Sovereign Portuguese Art Prize, Sociedade Nacional de Belas-Artes, Lisbon
2024 A Moeda Viva, Quadrum – Galerias Municipais de Lisboa, Portugal
2023 BoCA | Biennial of Contemporary Arts
2023 Zonas de Transição, PLMJ Fundation Collection, Cordoaria Nacional,
Lisboa, Portugal
Black Skin, White Masks: the Black Body in Presence, Galerias Municipais de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
2022 Post-Colonial Moqueca with edible 500€, Social Kitchen, Documenta 15, Kassel, Germany
2022 Aqui Somos Rede. MACE- Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Elvas, Portugal
2021 Design As Self Portrait, Venice Design Biennial, Italy
2020 Natura, ARTFEM Women Artists International Biennial of Macau, Macau
2019 No Place Like Home, La Junqueira, Lisbon, Portugal
Floripesfera- Príncipe Bienal, São Tomé and Príncipe
Walk&Talk, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal
Run, In Spite of, Porto, Portugal
A metade do céu, Museu Arpad Szenes – Vieira da Silva, Lisbon, Portugal
2018 Frente.Verso.Inverso, UCCLA Gallery, Lisboa, Portugal
2017 Efeito-Suruba, Rua das Gaivotas 6, Lisbon, Portugal
Art of Kindness, White Space Gallery, London, UK
Lagos Biennial, Lagos, Nigeria
Summer Exhibition Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK
O Olhar da Sibila, Museu do Oriente, Lisbon, Portugal
EU em Angola, Instituto Camões; Luanda, Angola
2016 Conexões Femininas, Galeria Sede do Banco Económico – Movart, Luanda, Angola
2015 African Industrial Revolution (A.I.R.), with e-studio Luanda, Tiwani Contemporary, London, UK
Devour Part I (part of Devour! Social Cannibalism, Political Redefinition and Architecture), with
e-studio Luanda, Freies Museum in cooperation with Savvy Contemporary, Berlin, Germany
Devour Part III (part of Devour! Social Cannibalism, Political Redefinition and Architecture), with
e-studio Luanda, KunstKraftWerk, Leipzig, Germany
2013 Danalogue, Art in Space, Tel Aviv, Israel
Hetero Q.B., Museu do Chiado, Lisbon, Portugal
Arts on Main – Goethe Institut, Johannesburg, South Africa
2012 Mabaxa, Soso Gallery – Contemporary African Art, Luanda, Angola
2010 Agora, a seguir e como, Museum of Decorative Arts, Viana do Castelo, Portugal
2011 The Philosophy of Money, Museum of the City, Lisbon, Portugal
Tatoli Ba Kultura, Díli, East-Timor
2009 1 Século, 10 Lápis, 100 Desenhos: Viarco Express, Museu da Presidência da República, Lisbon, Portugal
Amalia Nossa, CCB – Museu Berardo, Lisbon, Portugal
2007 Options & Futures: Collection of the PLMJ Foundation, Arte Contempo, Lisbon, Portugal
Anteciparte, Natural History Museum, Lisbon, Portugal
Rothschild Prize, Lisbon, Portugal
EDUCATION
2006 Master’s Degree attendance | Malmö Art Academy, Lund University in Malmö, Sweden
2004 Advanced Course in Visual Arts | Maumaus School of Visual Arts, Lisbon, Portugal
2003 Five years Degree in Communication Design | Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto, Portugal
2001 Erasmus | Fine Arts Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria
CURATORIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
2018 Scope Miami Art fair. Movart Luanda Gallery Booth, Miami, USA
2017 Thomson Art House, Luanda, Angola
2015 Commissioner of the Angolan Pavilion, curated by António Ole, 56th Venice Biennale, Italy
2013 Curator of VAN: Desenhos, Pau-a-Pique e outros Registos, Centro Cultural Português – Instituto Camões, Luanda, Angola
Curator of António Ole: Memoria y Olvido, Fundación Carlos de Amberes, Madrid, Spain
e-studio Luanda project , 7ª Biennale of São Tomé e Príncipe
2012 Founder- manager of e.studio Luanda project