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
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 & 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
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-Bissau, ACEP
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