Carlos Azeredo Mesquita
1988, Porto, PT
Based in Brussels, BE
I work mostly with performance and visual media. I’m interested in exploring the mechanisms of belonging by looking at nationalism, truth claims, narrative authority and colonial logics. I look at how representation, power and taste script meaning, from national anthems to tourism copy to food systems, using tools from sociology, anthropology, history and feminist methodologies. History comforts me in its repetitions of moral ambiguity: reminds me that any of us can be oppressed or oppressor, depending on circumstances. I see this as a reason to keep asking why patterns persist and how we might live them differently. I want to decipher and work from contradictions, learn from theory and memes, opera, or Instagram, and figure out ways of sensing, learning and laughing together.
I've been showing at institutions such as the Berlin Biennale, Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art and the Municipal Theatre of Porto, the Lisbon Architecture Triennale, or the MAAT Museum in Lisbon.
Collaboration, I believe, yields the most intriguing and meaningful results and I’ve been fortunate to work with talents such as Luís Pestana, Luísa Saraiva, Maria João Macedo, Yasmina Reggad, Nuno Pimenta, Mariana Duarte, Catarina Miranda, Mariana Pestana, Isabel Duarte, Andrés Sarabia, or Vasco Coelho Santos.
I am part of the production structure Calote Esférica (Porto) and I’m represented by Kubik Gallery (Porto/Lisbon/São Paulo).
As with any portfolio, there will always be something missing, and it will always be under construction.
Check out @carlosazeredomesquita to see more of what I'm up to.
Get in touch at hello@carlosazeredomesquita.com.
Studies
MA Art Praxis
DAI – Dutch Art Institute, ArtEZ University of the Arts, NL
2024-2026 (ongoing)
BA Communication Design
FBAUP – Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto, PT
2006-2011
Exchange at MOME – Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, HU
2009-2011
Work
Visit [country]
Book
Published by Sismógrafo, Porto
September 2025
The Complete National Anthems of the World
Performance
Sismógrafo, Porto
December 16–17, 2023
Teatro Municipal do Porto
January 25–26, 2025
Ponto C, Penafiel, PT
February 21–22, 2026 (upcoming)
More people have been to Portugal than I have
Solo exhibition
Kubik Gallery, Porto
July–September, 2022
Über Alles
Performance
BoCA – Bienal of Contemporary Arts at MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Lisbon
October 8–9, 2021
Teatro Municipal do Porto
October 29–30, 2021
O Espaço do Tempo – BPI/Fundação ”la Caixa”
Residency grant
Montemor-o-Novo, PT
September 2021
O efeito do observador/Observer’s effect
Group exhibition curated by Pablo Berástegui
Centro de Arte Oliva, São João da Madeira, PT
June 2021 – February 2022
Apatia Hiperactiva/Hyperactive Apathy
Performance, with Luísa Saraiva
BoCA – Bienal of Contemporary Arts; live streaming
June 2020
Hark!
Set design for a stage performance by Luísa Saraiva
Kampnagel, Hamburg
October 2019 – March 2020
I know it when I see it
Performance (with Luísa Saraiva)
Festival Circular at Teatro Municipal de Vila do Conde, PT
September 19, 2019
Maschinenhaus, Essen, DE
October 30–31, 2019
Diet Plan for the Western Man
Performance
Berlin Biennale (curated by Thiago de Paula Souza) at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin
August 24, 2018
Teatro Municipal do Porto
at Ateneu Comercial do Porto
April 11–13, 2019
The Radiant City
Solo show
Faur Zsófi Gallery, Budapest
September – October 2017
Force, Strength, Power
Group exhibition
Galeria Baginski, Lisboa, PT
July – September 2017
Quote/Unquote: between appropriation and dialogue
Group exhibition curated by Gabriela Vaz Pinheiro and Ana Anacleto
MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Lisbon
October 2017 – May 2018
Galeria Municipal do Porto
March – May 2017
Questions of Relief
Group exhibition curated by Luís Pinto Nunes and Luis Albuquerque Pinho
Galeria Vertical Silo-Auto, Porto, PT
December 2016
The Radiant City
Book
Co-published by Pierrot le Fou, Porto
September 2016
Passado Contínuo – modos de (re)ação
Group exhibition curated by Mariana Marim Gaspar
Espaço Adães Bermudes, Alvito, PT
May – September 2016
Panal 361
Residency
Buenos Aires, AR
October 2014
Detailed Close-ups of far-off scenes
Solo shows
Kubik Gallery, Porto
February – April 2016
A Ilha, Lisbon
November 2015 – February 2016
Panal 361, Buenos Aires, AR
October 2014
Vitrine Gallery, Weimar, DE
June 2014
PhotoIreland
Group exhibition
South Studios, Dublin
July 2014
Sem Quartel/Without Mercy
Group exhibition curated by Óscar Faria
Sismógrafo, Porto
April – May 2014
Como se o mundo tivesse de ser todo, novamente, reaprendido
Group exhibition curated by José Maia
Espaço MIRA, Porto
April – July 2014
Lisbon Architecture Triennale ‘13
Residency curated by Mariana Pestana
Lisbon
September – December 2013
How Green Was My Valley
Solo show
Kubik Gallery, Porto
February – April 2012
Startpoint Prize 2011
Prague/Brno
2011
StartPoint Prize 2011
Group exhibition
Wannieck Gallery, Brno, CZ
October – December 2011
Galerie výtvarného umění, Cheb, CZ
January – March 2012
The Urban Imaginarium
Group exhibition
Untitled Gallery@Marwen, Chicago, USA
August – September 2011
Prémio de Aquisição/Acquisition Award
FBAUP – Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto
2011
Final Degree Show 2011
Group exhibition
FBAUP Museum – Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto
June 2011
BES Revelação 2010
Group exhibition curated by Margarida Mendes
Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, Porto
November 2010 – January 2011
Galeria BES Art&Finance, Lisbon
February – May 2011
BES Revelação/BES Revelation
Award
Porto/Lisbon
2010
Close Up 2010
Group exhibition
Former RDP Building, Porto,
July 2010
Photo by
Nuno Maio
Carlos Azeredo Mesquita
1988, Porto, PT
Based in Brussels, BE
I work mostly with performance and visual media. I’m interested in exploring the mechanisms of belonging by looking at nationalism, truth claims, narrative authority and colonial logics. I look at how representation, power and taste script meaning, from national anthems to tourism copy to food systems, using tools from sociology, anthropology, history and feminist methodologies. History comforts me in its repetitions of moral ambiguity: reminds me that any of us can be oppressed or oppressor, depending on circumstances. I see this as a reason to keep asking why patterns persist and how we might live them differently. I want to decipher and work from contradictions, learn from theory and memes, opera, or Instagram, and figure out ways of sensing, learning and laughing together.
I've been showing at institutions such as the Berlin Biennale, Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art and the Municipal Theatre of Porto, the Lisbon Architecture Triennale, or the MAAT Museum in Lisbon.
Collaboration, I believe, yields the most intriguing and meaningful results and I’ve been fortunate to work with talents such as Luís Pestana, Luísa Saraiva, Maria João Macedo, Yasmina Reggad, Nuno Pimenta, Mariana Duarte, Catarina Miranda, Mariana Pestana, Isabel Duarte, Andrés Sarabia, or Vasco Coelho Santos.
I am part of the production structure Calote Esférica (Porto) and I’m represented by Kubik Gallery (Porto/Lisbon/São Paulo).
As with any portfolio, there will always be something missing, and it will always be under construction.
Check out @carlosazeredomesquita to see more of what I'm up to.
Get in touch at hello@carlosazeredomesquita.com.
Studies
MA Art Praxis
DAI – Dutch Art Institute, ArtEZ University of the Arts, NL
2024-2026 (ongoing)
BA Communication Design
FBAUP – Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto, PT
2006-2011
Exchange at MOME – Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, HU
2009-2011
Work
Visit [country]
Book
Published by Sismógrafo, Porto
September 2025
The Complete National Anthems of the World
Performance
Sismógrafo, Porto
December 16–17, 2023
Teatro Municipal do Porto
January 25–26, 2025
Ponto C, Penafiel, PT
February 21–22, 2026 (upcoming)
More people have been to Portugal than I have
Solo exhibition
Kubik Gallery, Porto
July–September, 2022
Über Alles
Performance
BoCA – Bienal of Contemporary Arts at MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Lisbon
October 8–9, 2021
Teatro Municipal do Porto
October 29–30, 2021
O Espaço do Tempo – BPI/Fundação ”la Caixa”
Residency grant
Montemor-o-Novo, PT
September 2021
O efeito do observador/Observer’s effect
Group exhibition curated by Pablo Berástegui
Centro de Arte Oliva, São João da Madeira, PT
June 2021 – February 2022
Apatia Hiperactiva/Hyperactive Apathy
Performance, with Luísa Saraiva
BoCA – Bienal of Contemporary Arts; live streaming
June 2020
Hark!
Set design for a stage performance by Luísa Saraiva
Kampnagel, Hamburg
October 2019 – March 2020
I know it when I see it
Performance (with Luísa Saraiva)
Festival Circular at Teatro Municipal de Vila do Conde, PT
September 19, 2019
Maschinenhaus, Essen, DE
October 30–31, 2019
Diet Plan for the Western Man
Performance
Berlin Biennale (curated by Thiago de Paula Souza) at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin
August 24, 2018
Teatro Municipal do Porto
at Ateneu Comercial do Porto
April 11–13, 2019
The Radiant City
Solo show
Faur Zsófi Gallery, Budapest
September – October 2017
Force, Strength, Power
Group exhibition
Galeria Baginski, Lisboa, PT
July – September 2017
Quote/Unquote: between appropriation and dialogue
Group exhibition curated by Gabriela Vaz Pinheiro and Ana Anacleto
MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Lisbon
October 2017 – May 2018
Galeria Municipal do Porto
March – May 2017
Questions of Relief
Group exhibition curated by Luís Pinto Nunes and Luis Albuquerque Pinho
Galeria Vertical Silo-Auto, Porto, PT
December 2016
The Radiant City
Book
Co-published by Pierrot le Fou, Porto
September 2016
Passado Contínuo – modos de (re)ação
Group exhibition curated by Mariana Marim Gaspar
Espaço Adães Bermudes, Alvito, PT
May – September 2016
Panal 361
Residency
Buenos Aires, AR
October 2014
Detailed Close-ups of far-off scenes
Solo shows
Kubik Gallery, Porto
February – April 2016
A Ilha, Lisbon
November 2015 – February 2016
Panal 361, Buenos Aires, AR
October 2014
Vitrine Gallery, Weimar, DE
June 2014
PhotoIreland
Group exhibition
South Studios, Dublin
July 2014
Sem Quartel/Without Mercy
Group exhibition curated by Óscar Faria
Sismógrafo, Porto
April – May 2014
Como se o mundo tivesse de ser todo, novamente, reaprendido
Group exhibition curated by José Maia
Espaço MIRA, Porto
April – July 2014
Lisbon Architecture Triennale ‘13
Residency curated by Mariana Pestana
Lisbon
September – December 2013
How Green Was My Valley
Solo show
Kubik Gallery, Porto
February – April 2012
Startpoint Prize 2011
Prague/Brno
2011
StartPoint Prize 2011
Group exhibition
Wannieck Gallery, Brno, CZ
October – December 2011
Galerie výtvarného umění, Cheb, CZ
January – March 2012
The Urban Imaginarium
Group exhibition
Untitled Gallery@Marwen, Chicago, USA
August – September 2011
Prémio de Aquisição/Acquisition Award
FBAUP – Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto
2011
Final Degree Show 2011
Group exhibition
FBAUP Museum – Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto
June 2011
BES Revelação 2010
Group exhibition curated by Margarida Mendes
Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, Porto
November 2010 – January 2011
Galeria BES Art&Finance, Lisbon
February – May 2011
BES Revelação/BES Revelation
Award
Porto/Lisbon
2010
Close Up 2010
Group exhibition
Former RDP Building, Porto,
July 2010
Photo by
Nuno Maio