Indicated to PIPA Award 2023
Co-founder of Duo Paisagens Móveis
Member WomenPhotograph
Member Light Women
Maria Vaz is a visual artist and researcher, holding a master’s degree and a PhD candidate in Visual Arts at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), with a period as a visiting researcher at the Freie Universität Berlin. Her work explores the relationships between memory, territory, and the imaginary, the intersections between image and word, engaging in a dialogue with public and private archives. With numerous exhibitions in Brazil and abroad, she was nominated for the PIPA Prize in 2023, and has received the 5th Décio Noviello Photography Prize, the 16th Funarte Marc Ferrez Photography Prize, the 8th and 9th Pierre Verger National Photography Prize, the 10th Diário Contemporâneo Photography Prize, and participated in the 16th Itajaí Art Salon and the 27th Anápolis Art Salon. She has published three photobooks, two in partnership with Bárbara Lissa, with whom she has also participated in several exhibitions and forms the duo Paisagens Móveis (Moving Landscapes), which since 2017 explores the relationship between art and ecology.
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
2023: PhD in Visual Arts. EBA/UFMG - Visiting researcher period (sandwich doctorate) at the Freie Universität Berlin in 2026.
2022: Master's degree in Visual Arts. EBA/UFMG.
2019: Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts - Photography. Escola Guignard/UEMG.
AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
2025: Decio Noviello Photography Prize. Clóvis Salgado Foundation. Belo Horizonte, MG.
2023: Pierre Verger National Photography Prize - selected. Salvador, BA.
2023: Photothings Prize – photobook publication.
2023: Imaginária Prize for photobook publication with the photobook "Quem constrói as casas" (Who Builds Houses) - finalist.
2021: XVI Funarte Marc Ferrez Photography Prize.
2021: Pierre Verger National Photography Prize - finalist. Salvador, BA.
2021: Imaginária Prize for photobook publication with the photobook "Quem constrói as casas" (Who Builds the Houses) - finalist.
2020: Aldir Blanc Cultural Award - SECULT/BH.
2020: Grant for Visual Arts Collectives, Aldir Blanc - SECULT/MG.
2020: Arte Salva (Art Saves) - SECULT/MG.
2020: Art Promotion Grant/UFMG.
2020: Foto em Pauta Prize for photobook publication, with the photobook "Óris" - Mobile Landscapes duo - finalists.
2019: Gentileza Grant - Belo Horizonte City Hall.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025: Illustrious Ones. Décio Noviello Photography Prize. Clóvis Salgado Foundation. Belo Horizonte, MG.
2025: Tramontana. Fazendinha Dona Izabel. Belo Horizonte, MG.
2024: Three Moments of a River. Quatro Cantos Cultural Center. Tiradentes, MG.
2023: Peabiru and the Sailor's Farewell. ADRO Cultural. São João del Rei, MG.
2022: Three Ranches: beyond the end of the world. La Bòbila Cultural Center. Barcelona, SPA.
2022: When time lasts a ton. BDMG Exhibition Cycle. Belo Horizonte, MG.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025: N2025: From the Jungle to the Andes, FotoFest Colombia.
2025: Flows and Confluences: reclaiming the river, disarming the fort. MARÉ Festival, Natal, RN.
2025: MINAS - Contemporary Brazilian Photography - Photaumnales Festival. Musée Opale-Sud (France). Curated by: Emmanuele Halkin.
2025: Bienal Sur - La Copia Infiel. Córdoba (Argentina). Curated by: Fernando Farina.
2024: Foto Arica. Arica (Chile).
2024: 27th Anápolis Art Salon. Anápolis, GO.
2024: 16th National Art Salon of Itajaí, SC.
2023: I am not identical to myself. Women artists in the BDMG Cultural collection. Belo Horizonte, MG.
Curated by: Rita Lages.
2023: 9th Pierre Verger National Photography Prize. Bahia Museum. Salvador, BA. Curated by: Marcelo Campos.
2023: Cosmopolitics - Dona Beja Museum. Araxá, MG.
2023: Photothings. São Paulo, SP. Curadoria: Marly Porto
2023: Cosmopolitics - FotoRio. Federal Justice Cultural Center. Rio de Janeiro, RJ.
2022: Cosmopolitics - SOLAR Festival. Pinacoteca do Ceará. Fortaleza, CE.
2022: FAC - Audiovisual Culture Festival of Minas Gerais.
2022: Cosmopolitics, Câmera Sete (Clóvis Salgado Foundation). Belo Horizonte, MG.
2022: Cosmopolitics, Photo in Focus. Tiradentes, MG. Curated by: João Castilho and Pedro David.
2022: From Earth to Earth - Gaia - Unicamp. Campinas, SP.
2022: Small Photography Encounter. Olinda, PE.
2022: PRESENCE. Tiradentes, MG. Curated by: Mônica Maia.
2022: Exhibition Flesh and Stone: some graphic artwork from Belo Horizonte (Brazil), at the Faculty of Art and Design | University of Timisoara. Romania | Curated by: Rita Lages.
2021: Cultural Pendulum. Belo Horizonte, MG.
2021: PRESENCE. Curated by: Mônica Maia. São Paulo, SP.
2021: 8th Pierre Verger Photography Prize. Palacete das Artes. Salvador, BA. Curated by: Eder Chiodetto.
2021: Memorial Minas Gerais Vale. Belo Horizonte, MG.
2021: 1st National Salon of Photographic Art – Rio de Janeiro, RJ.
2021: Visual Encounters: At the Corner of Brazil. Natal, RN.
2021: Virtual Exhibition Three Moments of a River - funded by the Aldir Blanc Law, MG.
2020: University City Exhibition. Federal University of Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, MG.
2020: 2055 Exhibition. Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia. Cruz das Almas, BA.
2020: Inside a Suspended Time: Prelude. 10th Tiradentes Photography Festival. Online edition.
2020: 1st Living Streams Exhibition – Local Stories. Belo Horizonte, MG.
2020: Small Photography Gathering. Olinda, PE.
2020: 45th SARP - Ribeirão Preto National-Contemporary Art Salon. Ribeirão Preto, SP.
2020: Foto em Pauta: Collective Exhibition Construction of Identities. Tiradentes, MG.
2020: Londrina Art: Where the Blue Flows. Londrina, PR.
2019: 10th Diário Contemporâneo Photography Award. Belém do Pará, PA.
2019: PANORAMA 5th edition. Belo Horizonte, MG.
2018: JUNTA: contemporary art bazaar, 5th edition. Galpão Paraíso, Belo Horizonte, MG.
ARTISTIC RESIDENCIES
2023: Adro Cultural – Temporary Residency. São João Del-Rei, MG.
2022: Residency at the Institute of Contemporary Art of Ouro Preto, MG.
2020: Córregos Vivos. Belo Horizonte, MG.
2019: Memories of Sobradinho, Winter Encounters, with the Paisagens Móveis collective. Diamantina, MG. Brazil
2017: Artistic Residency Manus Festus - Cave de Plutão/BH
WORKS IN COLLECTION
- Museum of Fine Arts of Anápolis (MAPA).
- Bahia Visual Arts Salon – FUNCEB.
- BDMG Cultural.
- DCF Collection
- Contemporary Photography Diary. Museum of the Federal University of Pará.
- Princeton University
- Moreira Salles Institute
PARTICIPATION IN EVENTS
2025: Potential Archives: Activating and Imagining New Visibilities - Small Photography Meeting. Olinda, PE.
2024: Foto em Pauta. Living Water and Rubbing Rivers - Tiradentes, MG.
2023: Foto em Pauta. Chat with the Mobile Landscapes duo. Cine Santa Tereza - Belo Horizonte, MG.
2023: Imaginária Festival - Launch of the photobooks Óris and Ilustríssimos. São Paulo, SP.
2022: The Researcher Artist - invitation to speak and present work with the Mobile Landscapes duo.
2021: Imaginary of Technical Images: The Invention of Landscape. Mobile Landscapes: Photography, Paths and Imaginaries. SENAC.
2021: Paranapiacaba Photography Festival – invitation to speak and present work
2021: Mulheres Luz – Visual Conversations: presentation of the work Memorial of Facades
2021: Photobook Fair of the 1st Imaginária Festival, organized by Lovelyhouse, with the book Three Moments of a River
2021: "Why the Archive?" - Conversation between the duo Paisagens Móveis and .:Grão, by Círculo da Imagem - Imaginária Festival program
PUBLICATIONS
2023: Photobook Óris. Selo Turvo Publisher. ISBN: 978-65-999239-3-7.
2023: Photobook Ilustríssimos. Photothings Publisher. ISBN: 978-65-85769-00-6. 2021: Photobook Three Moments of a River. Funded by the Municipal Law for Cultural Incentive of Belo Horizonte. ISBN: 978-65-00143-83-6.