Rui Mourão is a visual artist and a researcher in artistic studies. He does video art connected with visual anthropology, installation and performance. He studied Arts (at Autonomous University of Barcelona and at Catalonian Center for Cinematographic Studies, Barcelona; at Maumaus Art School, Lisbon; and at Malmö Art Academy, Sweden). He has a Postgraduate in Digital Visual Cultures and a Master in Anthropology (both at ISCTE, Lisbon). He is doing a PhD in Artistic Studies (at Nova University, Lisbon) with a grant from FCT.

He won the Prize for Best Audiovisual Essay given by the Portuguese Anthropological Association, 2019) and he was one of the 3 finalists for Best Video Art Award at Euro Fest – European International Film Festival, in St. Petersburg (2020). His art work was also selected for Jovens Criadores (a national and annual selection of young creators, 2006 and 2007); LOOP – Video Art Festival of Barcelona (2007 and 2008); Anteciparte (an annual selection of Portuguese up coming artists, Lisbon, 2009); FUSO – Video Art International Annual of Lisbon (2010), where he received the Audience Award; QueerLisboa Festival (2013), with a nomination for Best Documentary.

He created or participated in several artistic residencies, collaborations, performances, lectures, conferences, academic articles and books (highlights Essay on Artivism – Video and Performance, published by Chiado Museum). He has held more than 50 exhibitions and videoscreenings in 16 countries, in places such as: Skövde Art Museum / Gothenburg Contemporary Art Biennale (Sweden, 2021); National Museum of Ethnology (Lisbon, 2019 and 2012); Galpão Vídeo Brasil (São Paulo, 2018); National Museum of Contemporary Art – Chiado Museum (Lisbon, 2018 and 2014); Whitworth Art Gallery (Manchester, 2017); Spaces (Cleveland, 2016); Iklectik (London, 2015); BTM (Budapest, 2013); Palazzo Albrizzi (Venice, 2012); Künstlerhaus Bethanien (Berlin, 2010); National Center for Contemporary Art (Moscow, 2008); Monkey Town (New York, 2007).