DISTANTE
transmedia artist based in Berlin
António F. Duarte / Distante’s practice questions the limits between reality and fiction while delving into the conflicts present in globalized society.
In a world saturated with copies, signals, and contradictions, he aims at reactivating the diminished aura of lived experience. His work moves fluidly between painting, installation, sound, film and architecture, which he integrates within a transmedia storytelling framework.
In his native Lisbon, at age 14, graffiti sparked a lifelong ritual of inscription on walls, memory and systems. He learned the language of movement, resistance and beat through hip-hop and rave culture. That physicality became the bedrock of his visual and sonic vocabulary. Trained as both an architect and a painter, he has gravitated toward the liminal spaces between these disciplines and toward the hijacking of architectural discourse and processes.
His methodology is based in research pilgrimages: purposeful, site-specific journeys driven by self-inquiry, curiosity, and a commitment to first-hand engagement with the world.
For over a decade, he has compiled a vast multidisciplinary archive, whose items are sampled and remixed to create new narratives. He doesn’t see archival records as static, but as raw material with its own dynamic potential, waiting to be harnessed in unconventional and evocative ways.
An insight emerged into how generative processes resonate with spiritual and social practices, informing the artist’s creation of ever-evolving environments for contemplation and discussion. This approach is grounded in radical hope, compassion, and collaboration, which serve as critical vectors of his practice.
Spirituality, Nature and technology are perceived as a single unfolding territory, which he strives to bring into visibility through his practice.
He sees art as a psychonautic science and pursues a poetic theory of everything.
António is currently an Arts and Media Meisterschüler at Berlin University of the Arts, focusing on Generative / Computational Arts under Prof. Alberto de Campo.
EDUCATION:
Meisterschüler Arts & Media - Berlin University of the Arts under Prof. Dr. Alberto de Campo
Master of Arts — Painting — Fine-Arts Faculty — Lisbon University, graduated with high distinction, project thesis Dark Atlas: Nomadism between Reality and Fiction under Prof. Dr. Manuel Botelho, Prof. Dr. João Seguro and Prof. Dr. Rui Serra
Master of Architecture — Lusíada University Lisbon, graduated with distinction, thesis Poetics in the Age of Information under Prof. Dr. Fernando Hipólito
Piano Free Course, CODARTS Rotterdam Music Conservatory
Concept Art, ETIC Lisbon, under Prof. Tiago Lobo Pimentel, 2020/2021
MENTORSHIP:
2018 Shine Lu - studio mentorship, 8 months, Yangon
2017 João Garcia Miguel - internship, 6 months, Lisbon
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2024 Plano de Fuga - Escape Plan, Dedicated, Lisbon, Portugal
2023 The Snake Charmer, Factory Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
2022 On Infinity, TAF The Art Foundation, Athens, Greece
2022 Passagens, Cosmos, Lisbon, Portugal
2022 Process, Institut Français de Birmanie, Yangon, Myanmar
2021 In Utero, Útero - Casa d'Arte, Lisbon, Portugal
2019 Dark Atlas, Mute Art Project, Lisbon, Portugal
2019 MA Painting thesis exhibition, FBAUL, Lisbon, Portugal
2015 Infinisterra, Museu do Oriente, Lisbon, Portugal
2013 Infinisterra, Lx Factory, Lisbon, Portugal
2013 Infinisterra, Universidade Lusíada Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED):
2025 Materia Architectures, UR Square, Brussels, Belgium
2025 Materia Architectures, FAR, Lausanne, Switzerland
2025 Rundgang 2025, UdK Medienhaus, Berlin, Germany
2025 VIDEONALE.20 Prologue, Schaumburg, Bonn, Germany
2025 Protocols, Pandora Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2025 Snakes And Ladders II, Kunsthaus KuLe, Berlin, Germany
2025 Materia Architectures, Césure, Paris, France
2025 Kleiner Rundgang, UdK Medienhaus, Berlin, Germany
2025 Heritage, Italian Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar
2025 Snakes And Ladders, Kunsthaus KuLe, Berlin, Germany
2024 An Assembly: Performing Contemporary, UdK Medienhaus, Berlin, Germany
2024 Video Art Screening, Artemis Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
2024 24 24: A Day on Earth, Wasserschloss Reelkirchen, Blomberg, Germany
2024 Exploring Sound Fields: Imaginary Workspace, Bauhaus Reuse, Berlin, Germany
2022 Waking Up in A World, Artemis Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
2021 IGNIÇÃO, Rastilho Cultural, Lisbon, Portugal
2021 Rare Effect vol2 - NFT Festival, Arroz Estúdios, Lisbon, Portugal, 2021
2020 Design Trust: Critically Homemade, House Studio - Soho House HK, Hong Kong
2019 The Parasol Project, River Gallery, Yangon, Myanmar
2018 30 Years of Fundação Oriente’s Scolarships, Museu do Oriente, Lisbon, Portugal
2017 GAB-A / Galerias Abertas das Belas-Artes 11ª Edição, FBAUL, Lisbon, Portugal
2017 VI Bienal Culturas Lusófonas, Centro de Exposições de Odivelas, Portugal
2016 Lusíada 30 Anos Arquitectura, Museu dos Coches, Lisbon, Portugal
2016 BOOM Festival 2016, Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal
2016 A Paiã em Arte, Centro de Exposições de Odivelas, Portugal
2015 Festival AURA, Sintra, Portugal
2015 De Onde para Onde, ISEG, Lisbon, Portugal
2015 IndieLisboa 2015 Videotheque, Culturgest, Lisbon, Portugal
2013 MINDtheGAP, The Storefront for Art & Architecture, New York, USA
2010 ARTSCIST, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
2010 ENTRE PÓLOS, Lisbon, Portugal
PERFORMANCES:
2025 Desterro, Lisbon, Portugal
2025 Skene, Act III (w/ Error-43, Sara Paternesi & Kuntay Seferoglu), Artemis Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
2025 LaBase, Berlin, Germany
2025 Pandora Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2024 Snakes And Ladders, Kunsthaus KuLe, Berlin, Germany
2024 Exposure, Bauhaus Reuse, Berlin, Germany
2024 Searching For Lost Time, KUNSTRAUM Potsdamer Straße, Berlin, Germany
2023 Skene, Act II (w/ Error-43 & Sara Paternesi), Artemis Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
2022 Skene (w/ Error-43 & Sara Paternesi), Artemis Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
2022 Akasha (w/ F. Pimpão), Artemis Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
2021 Brinks of Perception (w/ Error-43), Artemis Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal
2021 In Utero (w/ Error-43), Útero - Casa d'Arte, Lisbon, Portugal
2019 Dark Atlas (w/ F. Pimpão), Mute Art Project, Lisbon, Portugal
CURATION:
2025 Protocols, Pandora Art Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2025 Snakes And Ladders II, Kunsthaus KuLe, Berlin, Germany
2024 Snakes And Ladders, Kunsthaus KuLe, Berlin, Germany
2023 Dedicated Hip-Hop Museum, Dedicated, Lisbon, Portugal
2021 Jump of Faith, DIRTYCOP, Rastilho Cultural, Lisbon, Portugal
2021 IGNIÇÃO II, Rastilho Cultural, Lisbon, Portugal
2021 IGNIÇÃO, Rastilho Cultural, Lisbon, Portugal
2017 Inner World, João Garcia Miguel, Praça do Príncipe Real 19, Lisbon, Portugal
AWARDS / GRANTS:
2025 Materia Award 2025 Finalist, Housing NOW
2024 Nikkei Asia Award, Housing NOW
2023 MIT Sandbox, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Housing NOW
2023 3rd Prize/Honorable Mention, Architecture Sans Frontières International Award, Housing NOW
2023 Changemakers Award, Factory Berlin, Housing NOW
2023 A+ Awards Best X-Small Firm, Architizer, Blue Temple
2022 International Design Award IDA winner, Bronze - print-Books, Atlas Obscuro/Dark Atlas
2022 MIT Solve, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Housing NOW
2020 Portuguese Emerging Art 2020, Emerge + Fundação PLMJ
2020 Hong-Kong Design Trust Feature Grant 2020: Bamboo Learnings From Yangon: Expanding Cantonese Bamboo Craftsmanship’s Social Impact and Design Solutions Space, Yangon, Myanmar, Blue Temple
2018 Hong-Kong Design Trust Seed Grant 2018: Gyo Byu Pipeline Initiative, Yangon, Myanmar, Blue Temple
2016 Boom Festival 2016 Student Competition, Stasis, Rethorica Studio
2015 Fundação Oriente Research Scholarship — Infinisterra — Architecture and Culture in Contemporary Asia
2014 Nominated for Mies van der Rohe European Awards - Arkadia Apartments, IND
2012 Project of the Year - Turkish Architecture Association, Koç Swimming Pool, IND
2012 Leonardo da Vinci scholarship
2011 1st Prize ITU Cyprus Competition, IND
2011 Honorable Mention, Troy Archeological Site Museum, Troy, Turkey, IND
2010 3rd Prize ARTSCIST International student competition, The Cell
2010 ENTRE PÓLOS prize - Magnética magazine lllustration competition
PUBLICATIONS / PRESS:
2025 Simulacrum - A Blue Temple Book Vol.1, 196 pages, color, author’s edition, english, 200 copies
2023 Três Pancadas com Eko, Sam the Kid, TV Chelas, video podcast
2023 ALGORISTS, L'ordine del caos, Matteo Bonaldo, 85 pages, color, italian, BA thesis, Istituto d’Arte Applicata e Design IAAD Bologna
2022 Dedicated Hip-Hop Museum, NIT, CNN Portugal, June 2022
2022 Portal, 44 pages, black & white, 12 numbered copies, Cosmos
2022 Waking Up in a World, Peggy Schoenegge, Artemis Gallery
2020 Portuguese Emerging Art Green Edition, 176 pages, color, Emerge
2020 MA Painting 2016 - 2018, 80 pages, color, FBAUL
2020 Distante - Atlas Obscuro/Dark Atlas, 72 pages, color, author’s edition, portuguese/english, 200 numbered copies,
2019 Dark Atlas: Nomadism between Reality and Fiction, 177 pages, color, MA Painting dissertation, FBAUL
2016 Inner World, Whitelies Magazine, December 2016
2015 Hulda Festival - A Journey Into Art and Science, Yildirim Koman, Piri Can, Arici, 160 pages, color, Koman Foundation
2015 Infinisterra - Architecture and Culture in Contemporary Asia, 118 pages, color, author’s edition, portuguese/english, 50 numbered copies
2015 Infinisterra — VISÃO magazine, April 2015
2014 Percursos, digital publication, Lusíada University
2011 Poetics in the Age of Information, 297 pages, color, M.Arch dissertation, Lusíada University
Atelier Distante, studio for personal and collaborative production + research
Co-founder & Art Director - Housing NOW, Myanmar-based low-cost housing initiative
Director & Architect - Blue Temple, Architecture and research studio based in Myanmar, 2018-2025
Co-founder - Infinisterra, Arts and Architecture studio based in Lisbon, 2013-2018