Biography
Ana Pinho Vargas (1996, PT) is an award winning Portuguese artist, photographer and painter based in Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto. Her work is a unique fusion of the auditory and the visual, where she meticulously explores the presence of music in her photographs. Ana’s work also extends beyond a simple reflection of music; it becomes autobiographical. The musical scores she photographs are deeply personal, often connected to her family’s artistic legacy. Ana thinks about the image musically, trying to create times, rhythms, and harmonies from it.
The search for different melodic forms acts as a means of abstract self-representation, where she records her own reality. One of the most important themes she explores in her work is the presence of music in an image - the idea that it is possible to have the presence of musical elements and sound in an image, but that presence should be read as non-literal. Ana sees photography as a tool to interpret her reality, the various objects and particular environment that surround her. She believes that photography is not only about images: it is an experience, a “performance”.
Ana`s background and personal experience with music and playing various instruments in her early years has made a huge impact in her artistic creations and work. Her first major artistic project “Silêncio”, in 2019, brings together music and photography. This early work established the core of her creative identity, which continually explores the complex and intimate relationships between sound and image. Ultimately, Ana`s work sets out to question both documentary photography, artistic practice and the possibility of merging photography with music in a way that reflects her own memories and recollections of a past time.
She has exhibited her work nationally - Lisboa, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, São João da Madeira and Trás-os-Montes - and internationally - Kazakhstan, Barcelona, Trieste, Buenos Aires, Venice, Rome, Turin and Florence. She also exhibited at the XV Florence Biennale - Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Contemporanea e Design, in Fortezza da Basso in Florence with her work “O Diário”, located in the first pavilion - Spadolini from October 18th to October 26th. She won the International Award “Artist of the Year 2025 Prize” by Effetto Arte Fondazione and curators Salvatore Russo and Francesco Saverio Russo in January of 2025. She also won the International Prize “Leonardo da Vinci - The Universal Artist” by Effetto Arte Fondazione, curated by Salvatore Russo and Francesco Saverio Russo in June of 2025.
“Her artworks know how to envelop us in a contemplative warmth, her subjects of a silent nature and nostalgic colors are captured with a melancholic gaze that is able to convey the fascination of a past time. Pages of diaries, details of musical scores, old books… everything reminds of a remote time, alive in the memory, creating in us the curiosity to know what is hidden behind those pages worn out by time, pages that hold precious memories or intimate recollections. The artist gives us an ascetic dimension and she`s able to capture the intimate richness of their essence. It`s an expressive language that opens up our perceptive channels through subjective intimacies, and tells of an aleatory dimension that smells of waiting and silence, where to freely abandon yourself. Each shot combines poetry and emotion, becoming nostalgic narration: the images are presented silently for our sight, spaceless and timeless, inclined towards the research of an absolute simplicity. Atmosphere of silence and contemplation where the objects and details are retrieved from the hidden corners of the memory.”
Text by Monica Ferrarini for the International Contemporary Art catalogue Artisti di Oggi e di Domani 5, Artists of Today and Tomorrow curated by Monica Ferrarini with the collaboration of Alice Di Piero, Gangemi Editor International, December 2024
sonoritāte-., Bienal de Arte Contemporânea Terras de Trás-os-Montes, 2026
Millefleurs, Corpus Christi Space, Portugal, 2025
Silêncio, São João da Madeira Art Center, Portugal, 2025
O Diário, The National Center Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2026
O Diário, XV Florence Biennale, 2025
EDUCATION
2022
Master of Photography ⏤ School of Arts of Portuguese Catholic University, Porto
2019
Bachelor in Photography and Visual Culture ⏤ Faculty of Design, Technology and Communication in IADE European University, Lisboa
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025
MILLEFLEURS ⏤ Exhibition by Ana Pinho Vargas - collaboration with Portingaloise - Associação Cultural e Artística | Corpus Christi Space ⏤ Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Silêncio ⏤ Photography Gallery of São João da Madeira Art Center ⏤ São João da Madeira, Portugal
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS
2026
sonoritāte-. ⏤ Bienal de Arte Contemporânea Terras de Trás-os-Montes - Linha da Terra | “A Terra Que Nos Habita” | Alfândega da Fé, Lagar D`El Rei ⏤ Trás-os-Montes, Portugal
O Diário ⏤ UNDER ONE SKY | The National Center Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan ⏤ Almaty, Kazakhstan
2025
O Diário ⏤ XV Florence Biennale 2025 - Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Contemporanea e Design | Fortezza da Basso ⏤ Firenze, Italy
O Diário ⏤ Imaginations of Masters - curated by Christy Mitterhuber and Guido Folco | MIIT Museum ⏤ Turin, Italy
Silêncio ⏤ Movimentu e Connessioni | Leonardo Collective | Nova Karel Galleria ⏤ Cagliari, Italy
Silêncio II ⏤ Through time and space - curated by Monica Ferrarini | Galleria della Biblioteca Angelica ⏤ Rome, Italy
O Diário ⏤ Artists for Artists | Leonardo Collective | Casa Chaca - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sem Título (2023) ⏤ The Body Language | Liquid Group in collaboration with ACIT Venice ⏤ Italian-German Cultural Association and GOETHE INSTITUTE | Palazzo Abrizzi-Capello ⏤ Venice, Italy
2024
Silêncio (2018) ⏤ ART Expo Trieste | International Biennale of Contemporary Art | Magazzino 42 ⏤ Trieste, Italy
Silêncio (2018) ⏤ Emerger. que nace, atraviesa, sale y tiene: Principio de Otra Cosa, Leonardo Collective | Matiz Gallery ⏤ Barcelona, Spain
2021
O diário ⏤ Panorama21 Exhibition, School of Arts of Portuguese Catholic University | EA.UCP ⏤ Porto, Portugal
2019
Sombras - IADE exhibition ⏤ Puppet Museum | Lisboa, Portugal
2018
Silêncio (2018) ⏤ X`18 Exhibition ⏤ IADE, Mute Gallery | Lisboa, Portugal
2016
Nextart 2015-2016 - Nextart ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
AWARDS
2025
ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2025 ⏤Effetto Arte Fondazione, curated by Salvatore Russo and Francesco Saverio Russo ⏤ Florence, Italy
Leonardo da Vinci - The Universal Artist ⏤ Effetto Arte Fondazione, curated by Salvatore Russo and Francesco Savario Russo ⏤ Milan, Italy
CATALOGUES
2025
XV Florence Biennale 2025 - Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Contemporanea e Design | official exhibition catalog | Editoriale Giorgio Mondadori, edited by Giovanni Cordoni
2024
O Diário ⏤ Artisti di Oggi e di Domani 5, Artists of Today and Tomorrow 5 | A cura di Monica Ferrarini | Gangemi Editore ⏤ Italy
O Diário (2019-2021) ⏤ Imagens do Real Imaginado 20 anos | ESMAD - School of Media, Arts and Design of the Polytechnic of Porto | Vila do Conde, Portugal
2022
O diário - CONTRAST II A FOTOGRAFIA NO ENSINO SUPERIOR | Scopio Editions ⏤ Porto, Portugal
FESTIVALS
2024
Silêncio ⏤ Diafragma ⏤ III International Festival of Photography and Visual Arts | selection by Anibal Lemos ⏤ Covilhã, Portugal
PUBLICATIONS
2025
Six Portraits of Pain | Oscuro | CD by António Pinho Vargas | ArtWay ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
2024
Silêncio ⏤Artist Close Up Contemporary Art Magazine Issue 25 | December 2024
Silêncio II ⏤Al-Tiba9 Contemporary Art Magazine Issue 16 - work and interview
North of Portugal ⏤ Quadro Magazine - Nature & Travel August Issue 597 - work
South of Portugal ⏤ Quadro Magazine - Nature & Travel June Issue 530 - cover and work
Flores de música para instrumento de tecla e harpa (1620) Volume 3 - CD by Ana Mafalda Castro | Resonus Classics
2023
LAMENTOS - CD by António Pinho Vargas | ArtWay ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
2022
master thesis ⏤ O diário: diálogos entre a fotografia e a música| School of Arts of Portuguese Catholic University | EA.UCP ⏤ Porto, Portugal
2021
ESCOLA DAS ARTES ANUÁRIO 20-21| UCP ⏤ Porto, Portugal
2018
Ana Pinho Vargas Silêncio - blog Fascínio da Fotografia ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
Fotografia X`18 12 Projects by young auhtors - blog Fascínio da Fotografia ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
INTERVIEWS
2024
Ana Pinho Vargas: The Harmony of Art and Music - article/interview for AATONAU, contemporary art blog by Bianca Kann, director of AATONAU
10 Questions with Ana Pinho Vargas - Interviews PlatformAl-Tiba9 Contemporary Art Magazine
Silêncio II ⏤Al-Tiba9 Contemporary Art Magazine Issue 16
COMPETITIONS
2024
Street Photo Contest 2024 ⏤ The Artist Gallery Awards
Portrait Awards 2024 Contest ⏤ Lens Culture
2023
8th International Photography Award ⏤ 35Awards
2018
Street Photography Awards 2018 Contest ⏤ Lens Culture
WORK
2026
X Junior Academy of Baroque Music | ESMAE ⏤ Porto, Portugal
2025
Atelier Miragaia ⏤ Miragaia, Portugal
STUDIO MARVILA ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
Veronika Blyzniuchenko studio ⏤ Lisboa Creative Retreat | Lisboa, Portugal
Joana Mollet studio ⏤ Lisboa Creative Retreat | Cascais, Portugal
IX Junior Academy of Baroque Music | ESMAE ⏤ Porto, Portugal
STUDIO MARVILA ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
2024
Mini Seixas Órgaõs de Tubos em Portugal | UC Universidade de Coimbra ⏤ Coimbra, Portugal
By Harmony and Love | ESMAE ⏤ Porto, Portugal
XVIII Junior Academy of Baroque Music | ESMAE ⏤ Porto, Portugal
2023
XVII International Course of Early Music | ESMAE ⏤ Porto, Portugal
VII Junior Academy of Baroque Music | ESMAE ⏤ Porto, Portugal
2019
V Junior Academy of Baroque Music | ESMAE ⏤ Porto, Portugal
Verão Sénior and Vamos à Aventura | Junta de Freguesia de Campolide ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
2018
Pathos Collection - GOA Jewelry ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
HOMEING 3rd edition ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
2017
XIX Creatives Club Festival of Portugal ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
CONFERENCES
2021
O diário - Presentation of the exhibitions of Panorama21, School of Arts of Portuguese Catholic University | EA.UCP ⏤ Porto, Portugal
2018
Silêncio - Photography Conferences Series III - Student Photography Day, Lisbon Municipal Archive | Lisboa, Portugal
FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY
2019
Mario Raimundo ⏤ Documentary by Laura Klink and Ana Pinho Vargas | IADE ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal
Black Pottery of Bisalhães ⏤ Documentary by Ana Pinho Vargas | IADE ⏤ Lisboa, Portugal