Gallery 1885 Exhibition: Masks of Becoming Miguel Sobreira

Born in Cape Town to Portuguese parents and now based in London, Miguel’s practice is shaped by his upbringing and heritage, his background in textile design and childhood memories of making and play. Working across photography, textiles, sculpture and performance, he embraces process and discovery, sewing and creating masks from fabric, natural and found materials.

Masks and ‘veils’ are central to his practice, acting as tools of revelation through which he creates alter egos and imagined deities that are both invented and subconsciously autobiographical. Fabric, pattern, texture and bold colour create tactile images, while reusing and transforming materials reflects a connection to place and resourcefulness. Textiles also carry the traces of hands, journeys and histories.

Often appearing as the subject of his photographs, he explores identity, belonging, ancestry, family, ritual and the queer experience, while reconnecting with the inner child and the layered nature of memory and experience.