His investigation is the fundamental basis of his artistic work, being vital for both his theoretical development and his artistic production. His work has a distinguished international recognition, which allowed him to be included in public and private collections in several countries.
Januario Jano, born in Luanda, Angola, in 1979, is an interdisciplinary visual artist. His creation is driven by his investigation on cultural production and identity. The diverse media and materials, the game of reality and fiction, as well as the use of the body, are some of his artistic work characteristics. Throughout his career, he explores the ideas of home and self, challenging historic and contemporary narratives in an increasingly interdependent world at an economic, cultural and social level.
Graduated with honors in Design Studies from London Metropolitan University and holding a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from Goldsmiths University in 2020, his investigation is the fundamental basis of his artistic work, being vital for both his theoretical development and his artistic production. His work has a distinguished international recognition, which allowed him to be included in public and private collections in several countries. Among his solo exhibitions are IMBAMBAS: Unsettled Feelings of an Object and Self at KH Gallery in London, United Kingdom; and Arquivo Mestre at Jean-Claude Maier Gallery in Frankfurt, Germany.
Some of the recent biennials in which he has participated are the 35th São Paulo Biennial, Brasil; the BIENALSUR - Look at me! in Paris, France; and Ozangé - Biennial of African Photography in Malaga, Spain. He has participated in art fairs such as 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, United Kingdom, and New York, USA.; ARCO Lisboa, Portugal; and AKKA in Paris, France. His awards include the Queen Sonja Print Award in Oslo, Norway; the Norval Sovereign African Art Prize in Cape Town, South Africa; and the Laguna Art Prize in Business for Art, Venice, Italy.
Currently, Januario Jano splits his time and work between London, Madrid and Luanda. His strong commitment to artistic and sociocultural development of his native country has driven him to launch initiatives in Angola, such as Pés Descalços collective, aimed at promoting artistic and cultural projects, and since 2012 TEDxLuanda, which he organizes and curates.