Mario Macilau's long term project Faith documents the practice of animism (the belief that everything has a soul or spirit) within traditional religions in contemporary Mozambique. It reflects local and yet diverse conceptions of God and the cosmos and how ancient Mozambican traditions are preserved. Mario Macilau (b.1984) started his journey into photography from the streets of Maputo. His career began when in 2007 he traded his mother's cell phone for his first camera. He specializes in long term projects often focusing on socially and economically marginalized groups. His powerful and sensitive work has been widely exhibited to growing critical acclaim, for example at the 56th Venice Biennale, at Volta NY, and at Photo London. His debut book Growing in Darkness was published 2016 by Kehrer. He lives and works in Maputo, Mozambique.
