João Luiz Musa

1951, São Paulo, Brazil. Lives and works in São Paulo, Brazil.

João Luiz Musa’s photography combines the perspective of the traveler and the photographer. He works rigorously on his intentions, as he believes it is essential to fully understand photographic techniques and processes. Experimentation with light, perspective, contrasts, density and framing often gain more prominence in his work than the object portrayed, giving the photography itself the main role.

João Luiz Musa is a teacher and photographer. He graduated in Engineering from the Escola Politécnica da USP, in 1974. In 1990 and 1999, he obtained a Master’s and Doctor’s degree, respectively, from the School of Communication and Arts (USP). He held his first exhibitions in the 70s. Among his most important solo exhibitions are Instituto Tomie Ohtake (2012, São Paulo, Brazil), Museu da Imagem e do Som – MIS (1994, São Paulo, Brazil), Museu de Arte Moderna – MAM (1992, São Paulo, Brazil), etc. His most important group exhibitions are: Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo (2020, São Paulo, Brazl), Centro Cultural São Paulo (2007, Brazil), Itaú Cultural (2007, São Paulo, Brazil), Biennale Internationale de la Photographie (2006, Liege, Belgium), Museu de Arte de São Paulo – MASP (1997, Brazil), Sesc Pompeia (1993, São Paulo, Brazil), La Triennale di Milano (1988, Milano, Italy), etc. In 1992 he received the Best Photographer Award from the São Paulo Association of Art Critics (São Paulo, Brazil). His works can be found in important collections, such as Itaú Cultural (Brazil), Pirelli / MASP (Brazil), MIS-SP (Brazil) and MAM-SP (Brazil).