Dário Pequeno Paraíso (1991), born in Lisbon, is a Luso-Santomean visual artist.
In 2013, he traveled to São Tomé and Príncipe for the first time, determined to reconnect with his origins and existential motivations, taking his first steps in creative practice. By 2016, photography had become his main tool to explore, question, and document the culture that surrounded him. That same year, he signed the photographs of a Públiconewspaper report on São Tomé and Príncipe, part of the series “Racism in Portuguese”, produced with the support of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. In 2017, he published the book Women of São Tomé and Príncipe and held his first solo exhibition, Ilhando, in São Tomé.
Since then, through collaborations, solo projects, and group exhibitions, Dário Pequeno Paraíso has been developing work that increasingly focuses on questions of identity and post-colonial human rights.
Born and raised in Portugal, yet deeply connected to his Santomean roots, his artistic path has been shaped by the need to investigate his heritage and the legacies of colonial history. As the son of immigrants from a former Portuguese colony, he employs photography, video, and poetry to provoke reflection and critical questioning: “What happened?” and “How can we move forward?”
After years dedicated to photography, his practice expanded into video, leading him to direct documentaries and films on human rights and environmental issues. His work has been sought out by institutions such as CNN, the Tusk Conservation Awards (presented by Prince William), Lisbon Oceanarium, UNICEF etc, all drawn to the humanity and authenticity of his visual narratives.
In 2021/2022, he was recognized by BANTUMEN magazine as one of the 100 most influential personalities in the Lusophone world.
INQUIRIES
PHOTO EXHIBITIONS
2025: collective exhibition - Laboratório do Atlântico - Arte Contemporânea de São Tomé e Príncipe, Galeria exposições UCCLA
2025: collective exhibition - STARTER - Parcours Artistique Libreville, La Baie des Rois, Gabon
2024: solo exhibition - PRETO ATLÂNTICO, Institut Français, Gabon
2024: collective exhibition - MEMORIES/LEGACIES/MUTATIONS, Macao Museum of Art
2024: solo exhibition - UM NOVO TCHILOLI, ACEP, Portugal
2024: "The (re)discovery Of Us" - Biennal Sao Tome & Principe
2024: DUVANGU: La Fabrique Créative, Gabon
2024: solo exhibition - NOSSOS CORPOS TAMBÉM SÃO PÁTRIA, Instituto Camões, São Tomé e Príncipe
2024: solo exhibition - UM NOVO TCHILOLI, Centro Cultural Português, São Tomé e Príncipe
2024: 3rd Prize Award - Somos! “Na Solidão dos Dias”, Macau
2023: collective exhibition - SAISON SANTOMMÉENNE, L'Institut Français du Gabon
2023: collective exhibition - DIAFRAGMA, Covilhã International PhotoFestival, Portugal
2023: online exhibition - BECOMING MONUMENTAL - AUTOGRAPH UK
2021: collective exhibition - AROUND PEOPLE, Artroom, Lisboa, Portugal
2021: solo exhibition - UNSA KAXI, Cais Gás, Lisboa, Portugal
2020: solo exhibition - RETRATOS DAS MULHERES DA GUINÉ-BISSAU, Casa dos Direitos, Guiné-Bissau
2019: solo exhibition - GENTES DA TERRA, Festival Sons da Terra, Fábrica da Pólvora, Portugal
2019: collective exhibition - O MAR QUE NOS UNE, Fundação Galp / World Press Photo, Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Portugal
2017: solo exhibition - ILHANDO, Galeria CACAU, São Tomé e Príncipe
DOC / CINEMA
2024: “Guela di Gigantxi” // BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY - FESTIVAL D'AGBEY, BRONZE MEDAL - 12TH FILM OLYMPIAD// selected: Accra Indie Filmfest, Pridelands Wildlife Film Fest, FESTin, New York African Film Festival, Cannes Short Film Festival, Madagascourt Film Festival
2024: “Latitude Fénix”, a film by Welket Bungué, selected: Sheffield DocFest, BlackStar Film Festival, FEST
2023: “Preservar o Paraíso – O balanço entre a caça e o endemismo”, BirdLife International
2023: "Valorização da Educação Pré-escolar em São Tomé e Príncipe", Helpo
2022: "Festa e festividades de São Tomé e Príncipe", 25th Lusophonie Festival in Macau”
2022: "Estabelecimentos de Áreas Marinhas Protegidas em STP", OIKOS
2021: "Father of the Sea Turtles", Tusk Conservation Awards
2020: "ESTAMOS AQUI", Retratos das Mulheres da Guiné-Bissau, ACEP
2019: "OMALI VIDA NÓN, Fundação Principe Trust
2017: "MINA KIÁ", a film by Katya Aragão, Curtas PALOP
BOOKS/ARTICLES & TV
2021: AQUI ESTAMOS E A PALAVRA É NOSSA, Mulheres de Cabo-Verde, Guiné-Bissau e São Tomé e Príncipe, textos de Conceição Lima, Odete Semedo e Vera Duarte
2021: CALL TO EARTH: The islanders saving bees for a sustainable future, CNN
2019: FUTUROS CRIATIVOS, ACEP
2018: "Mulheres de São Tomé e Príncipe", texto de Ana Cristina Pereira
2016: "Racismo em Português: o lado esquecido do colonialismo", texto de Joana Gorjão Henriques
DELTA CAFÉS, GALP, PAEZ, CNN, ACEP, TUSK Conservation Awards, Programa Tató, HBD, PNUD, Kosmos Energy, UNITEL STP, Fundação Principe Trust, ACEP, PÚBLICO, The Times UK, ROSELYN SILVA, CST, Diogo Vaz Sao Tome, Oikos, HELPO