WHO AM I?
Rafael Medina, a photographer based in São Paulo and Berlin, were born in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. He is graduated in philosophy from UERJ (Rio de Janeiro State University) and studied Visual Arts at EAV - Parque Lage/RJ.
Rafael's work focuses on documenting the music scene, nightlife and capturing portraits that celebrate sexuality and bodily diversity. His clicks seek to investigate memories, traces and other temporal relationships within Club culture and Queer life, from the point of view of those who are part of this context.
Embracing analog photography since 2017, Medina is captivated by the materiality of the medium and the unique qualities it gives his images. He explores the experimental possibilities that analog photography presents, pushing the boundaries and venturing into multiple exposures to create visually captivating compositions.
Through his artistic lens, Rafael seeks to capture the essence of LGBTQIA+ life, providing an intimate and sincere glimpse into the richness and diversity of his subjects' experiences.
He has participated in notable group exhibitions such as "Uncensored" and "DISCOnstruction", as well as the exhibition "Intimacy: Queer Art from Berlin and Beyond" at the Schwules Museum in Berlin/Germany.
Medina's last solo exhibition, entitled "VERTIGO", showcases a series of double-exposure photographs, where he captures his personal experiences and contradictory feelings coming back home after long gone. His nostalgia and alienation are captured in dizzying images.
CV
Art Residencies
- “Instinct” - Berlin/Germany - 2017
Solo Exhibitions
- “Vertigo” - Pink Dot Life - Berlin/Germany - Nov/2024
- “Transbrasil” - Klub Kocka Gallery - Split/Croácia - Sep/2021
- “Skin Deep: +60” - Skopje City Museum - Escópia/Macedonia - Mar/2018
- “Skin Deep: +60” - Village Berlin - Berlim/Alemanha - Dec/2017
- “PICA” - intervenção urbana durante as Olimpíada – RJ/Brasil - Aug/2016
- “Carne-Cor” – Galeria Café – RJ/Brasil – Sep/2015
Group Exhibitions
- "Festival Transarte" - Centro de Artes Calouste Gulbekian - RJ/Brasil - Dez/2022
- "Femme4Femme" - Haus N Athen - Athens/Greece - May/June/2022
- "Intimacy: Queer Art from Berlin and Beyond” - Schwules Museum - Berlim - Ago/2021
- “¡Berlin/Berlin!” - Exposição Virtual - Silk Gallery - Dez/2020
- “Instinct Unity” - Village Berlin – Set/2020
- “DISCOnstruction” - Berlim/Alemanha - Fev/2020
- “Uncensored Berlin” - Blogfabrik - Berlim/Alemanha - Dez/2018
- “Living the Local” - Krakow art House - Oct/2017
- “Instinct #4” - Village Berlin – Sep/2017
- Mostra “Curto Circuito #4” – Castelinho - RJ/Brasil – Oct/2017
Main Publications
- “European Photography” - Art Magazine - Editor Andreas Müller-Pohle - Winter 2024/25
- “Fisheye Magazine No.65” - La Photographie Contemporaine - Jun/2024
- “New Queer Photography” - Book - Editora Kettler - Out/2020
- "Kavla" - Queer Art Magazine - Mai/2022
- “My Gay Eye” - Magazine - Editora Konkursbuch - Mai/2022
- “Fuck 2020” - Pornceptual Magazine - Jan/2021
- "Guilherme by Rafael Medina" - Kaltblut Magazine - Abr/2020
Articles and Interviews
- Advocate Magazine - Rafael Medina Showcases Trans Beauty in Brazil
- Bowie Creators - Queer Bodies And All Their Facets
- Fisheye Magazine - Transbrasil: vivre queer dans un pays où la différence n’est pas acceptée
- Iheatberlin - A Guide to Brazilian Creatives, Projects and Places in Berlin
- Port Magazine - Rafael Medina documents queer trans life in Rio through his intimate photography