Conference Cycle Great Artists on Campus #5: Miguel Marquês

Miguel Marquês (b. 1996, Braga) is a Portuguese photographer based in Lisbon. He holds a Master’s degree in Photography from Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon University Centre (2024), where he also completed his undergraduate degree (2022). He previously attended the Copenhagen School of Design and Technology, studying Architecture (2018).

In 2024, Marquês received the NovoBanco Revelação Photography Award, one of the most prestigious Portuguese recognitions for emerging photographers. This distinction led to his first solo exhibition, Walking Thru the Sleepy City (curated by Ricardo Nicolau, Serralves Museum, Porto, 2024–25), developed from approximately 30 days spent in Chisinau, Moldova, during the autumn of 2023. The project reflects his interest in “mundane things” and everyday urban experiences, capturing the essence of the Moldovan capital through wandering observations rather than predetermined objectives.

His practice explores the poetic potential of ordinary moments and overlooked details in contemporary life. Recent exhibitions include Echoes of a Distant Time (NO·NO, Lisbon, 2025), A Long Line Made By Walking (Galeria Zé dos Bois, Lisbon, 2024), as well as participation in ARCOmadrid and ARCOlisboa (2025). He was also a finalist in the Vila Franca de Xira Photography Biennial (2022).

His work is included in the Serralves Collection and the Vasco Santos Collection. Marquês represents a new generation of Portuguese photographers attentive to the subtle narratives embedded in everyday existence.

Programme

Artist talk followed by a Q&A session.