Dário Pequeno Paraíso (1991), born in Lisbon, is a santomean visual artist.  

In 2013, he visits São Tomé e Príncipe for the first time, determined to know its origins and existential motivations, taking the first steps in the creative areas. In 2016, he begins to photograph as a way to find, discover and question the culture that surrounded him. 
In the same year, he signed the photographs of the report on São Tomé and Príncipe that is part of the series "Racism in Portuguese", made by Público newspaper with the support of the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation and in 2017, he launches the book "Women of São Tomé and Príncipe" and his first photographic exhibition, Ilhando, was on display in São Tomé. Over the years between collaborations, solo and group exhibitions, Dário Pequeno Paraíso, in recent years, has focused on documenting issues of identity and post-colonial human rights. African peoples and cultures that were part of the former Portuguese empire (São Tomé and Príncipe, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, etc).

After photographing for years, he felt the need to turn to video. He made several documentaries reflecting on human rights and environmental issues. CNN, Tusk Conservation Awards (award given by Prince William), Lisbon Oceanarium, HELPO, OIKOS among others, seek his humanity and genuine visual references to tell stories. 
In 2022 he was recognized as one of the 100 most influential personalities in Lusophony by BANTUMEN magazine.


INQUIRIES 

darioparaiso@gmail.com


EXHIBITIONS

2023: BECOMING MONUMENTAL - Online - 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

2020: solo exhibition – ESTAMOS AQUI, 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, World Press Photo, Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Portugal

2017: solo exhibition - ILHANDO, Galeria CACAU - São Tomé e Príncipe


BOOKS & ARTICLES

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

2020: THE TIMES UK - "..When I saw the mother’s struggle, I knew I had to give my life to turtles", texto de John Simpson

2019: FUTUROS CRIATIVOS, ACEP

2018: MUNDO CRÍTICO - Revista de Desenvolvimento e Cooperação - MODOS DE VER: " Foi pelo olhar da minha mãe que vi o mundo"

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


DOC CINEMA

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-BissauACEP

2019: "OMALI VIDA NÓN,  Fundação Principe Trust

2017: "MINA KIÁ", um filme de Katya Aragão, Curtas PALOP


TUSK Conservation Awards, Major Development, Programa Tató, HBD, PNUD, Kosmos Energy,  Fundação Principe Trust, ACEP, PÚBLICO, The Times UK, ROSELYN SILVA, CST, Diogo Vaz Sao Tome, CNN, Oikos, HELPO


Using Format