João Marques

Lisbon’s streets are full of stories — some told loudly, others quietly hidden in plain sight. For João Marques, a contemporary artist eager to confront uncomfortable realities, the city revealed a truth he couldn’t ignore: the lives of its homeless citizens. His latest project, Don’t Look, is as audacious as it is compassionate, aiming to make visible what society often pretends not to see.

João’s work grew organically from the earth, debris, and forgotten fragments. Only later—almost by accident—did he stumble upon Arte Povera and feel a quiet kinship. Discover how this unexpected connection reveals the deeper pulse of his art and what drives him forward on his own path.

João’s art is a testament to the quiet, transformative power of the earth. What once bloomed in lush greens now speaks in darker, more raw tones, shaped by a personal loss and the recurring scars of fire that ravage the land. In his work, he turns away from the sky, asking us to reconsider paradise—not as something above, but below, where the earth’s deep roots hold both the weight and the wonder of life itself.

João’s creative process begins with an ordinary walk, where the discarded becomes his inspiration. A plastic bottle lodged in a tree leads him to reflect on the tension between nature and the man-made, turning everyday waste into a profound reflection on the world around him. This exploration of the natural world and human impact forms the foundation of his work.