João Bacelar is a Portuguese photographer and visual artist based in Lisbon. He is best known for his work in the fields of documentary photography, portraiture, and street photography.
Bacelar was born in Lisbon in 1982 and grew up surrounded by the city's vibrant culture. He developed an early interest in photography, which he pursued throughout his teenage years. After graduating from high school, he studied photography at the University of Lisbon, where he graduated with a degree in Visual Arts.
Bacelar's work has been featured in numerous exhibitions around the world, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. His photographs have also been published in magazines such as National Geographic and The New Yorker.
In addition to his photographic work, Bacelar is also an accomplished filmmaker. He has directed several short films that have been screened at film festivals around the world. He has also written and directed two feature-length documentaries about life on the streets of Lisbon.
Bacelar's work is characterized by its focus on everyday life and its ability to capture moments of beauty and emotion within mundane scenes. His photographs often explore themes of identity, memory, and belonging while highlighting the unique beauty of his hometown of Lisbon.