BIOGRAPHY
Coana born in 1987 is a Mozambican contemporary artist renowned for making a multifaceted array of creative work, including sculptural installations, street arts and oil paintings inspired and fascinated by daily life and dinamic colors. Recent public artworks include: Story of Matola: over 50m wide mural art for the newly constructed municipal building of Matola in Matola city. Mural Arts for Bring Back Maputo Project: 3000square meters block with series of artworks that turned a red-light district into a new tourism that employs sex workers as cleaners, the area was painted with art murals with messages of hope and social integration and empowerment of sex workers in downtown Maputo city the project is ongoing with support of local companies and maputo municipality government.
Coana was born in rural area in the district of Manhiça were he survived brutal civil war attacks with his family. Growing up in underdeveloped community destroyed civil war, he developed a strong sense of social development and bear the burden of reconstruction were he channels part of his art income to social causes in rural areas. Coana is the recipient of several innovation prizes for sustainable development goals including the 2018 international prize of AbinBev Africa Sustainability Challenge for climate change in South Africa, and the 2019 TOTAL rural sustainable development startupper of the Year in Mozambique, among other prizes.
Graduated in the school of architecture in the China Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing (CAFA) year 2012 and holds Master degree in International Finance in University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing. He discovered his talent in art at early age in 1995, later in the year 2000 he joined the youth art programa of the National Museum of Arts in Maputo. His paintings and street art murals are in several public and private collections in Mozambique in cluding the National Museum of Arts, and in over 25 countries worldwide including China-Beijing 798 art district, New York, Mozambique, South Africa, Finland and others. Coana is fluent in English, Portuguese and Mandarin.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2020 – Live art painting to support victims of terrorism in Cabo Delegado and Curated Expo KuImbondi, in Galeria Porto de Maputo, Mozambique.
2019 -Expo Transcending, Maputo city Mall-Maputo, Mozambique
2017 – Annual Expo National Museum of Arts Maputo, Moçambique
2015 – Symphony of Cultures- Kempinski hotel, Beijing, China
2014 – Taipei Art Revolution – Taipei, Taiwan
2013 – Taipei Art Revolution – Taipei, Taiwan
2012 – Taipei Art Revolution – Taipei, Taiwan
2012 – “Inspiring Artists” Fox Gallery, Shanghai, China
2011 – Taipei Art Revolution – Taipei, Taiwan
2010 – “The Girl of Oranges” Maputo, Mozambique
2008 – “Inspiring Artists Group Show” in Beijing Colors of Joy Gallery – Beijing 798, China
2007 – “Colored Africa” Beijing Colors of Joy Gallery – Beijing 798, China
2007 – “Rising Hope” Mozambican Association of Photography – Maputo, Mozambique.
2006 – “Africa – China Young Artists Exhibition” Colors of Joy Art Gallery – Beijing 798 Beijing, China
2005 – “The Moon of Yesterday” Maputo
Cultural House – Maputo, Mozambique
2005 – “Behind the Canvas” Newtown Johannesburg, South Africa
2005 – “New York Art Expo 05” Jacob K. Javits Convention Centre – NY, United States of America.
2004 – “Descoberta Art Fair” Brasil Cultural Centre Maputo, Mozambique.
2004 – “Expo Annual Musart 2004” Location Maputo, Mozambique.
2003 – “Young Artists from Portuguese Speaking Countries” group exhibition, Camoes Institute Exhibition Hall – Maputo, Mozambique.
2003 – “World Youth Arts Expo” Confirm the hall Hyvinkaan – Finland.
2003 – “Brasil Cultural Centre Annual Art Show”. Brasil Cultural Centre – Maputo, Mozambique
2002 – “Expo Annual Musart 2002” National Art Museum – Maputo, Mozambique.
AWARDS
2004 – “UNESCO Art on Human Rights” Award Winner, UNESCO Mozambique Headquarters – Maputo, Mozambique;
2005 – “Expo Momentum” Mural Paintings Award, Alto Maé – Maputo, Mozambique;
2007 – “National Mural Painting Award” PSI Jeito Mozambique – Maputo, Mozambique;
2016 – Entrepreneur of the Year, RM-Radio cidade
2017 – Entrepreneur of the Year ANJE, Banco Comercial e de investimentos;
2018 – All Africa Top Innovator of Climate Action Sustainability Challenge by AbinBev- South Africa.
2019 – StartUpper of the Year by TOTAL Moçambique.
