São Paulo, Brazil, 1961 \ She lives and works between Naples, Italy, and Berlin, Germany

Maria Thereza Alves has worked and exhibited internationally since the 1980s, creating a body of work investigating the histories and circumstances of particular localities to give witness to silenced histories. Her projects are researched-based and develop out of her interactions with the physical and social environments of the places she lives, or visits for exhibitions and residencies. These projects begin in response to local needs and proceed through a process of dialogue that is often facilitated between material and environmental realities and social circumstances. While aware of Western binaries between nature and culture, art and politics, or art and daily life, she deliberately refuses to acknowledge them in her practice. She chooses instead to work with people in communities as equals through relational practices of collaboration that require constant movement across all of these boundaries.

Alves has participated in the Helsinki Biennial (2025); Lagos Biennial (2024); Thailand Biennale, Chiang Rai (2023); Art and Urban Nature Biennal, Geneva (2023); documenta fifteen, Kassel (2022); Panamerican Biennial of Quito (2021); Ural Biennial, Ekaterinburg (2021); Biennale of Sydney (2020); Toronto Biennial (2019); Manifesta 12, Palermo (2018); Frestas Triennale, Sorocaba, Brazil (2017); Sharjah Biennal (2017); Bienal de São Paulo (2016, 2010); Berlin Biennale (2014); dOCUMENTA (13), Kassel (2012); Taipei Biennial (2012); Lyon Biennale (2009); Guangzhou Triennial (2008); Manifesta 7, Trento (2008); and Havana Biennial (1986) among others.

Alves is the recipient of the Vera List Prize for Art and Politics 2016-2018. In 2024 she received the “Napoli è Donna” – Lydia Cottone Award – Art Category.