Rita Castanheira (b. 1996, Coimbra) is a Portuguese artist currently living and working in Porto. She graduated from the University of Porto with a bachelor’s in fine art - multimedia, and in 2020 completed her master’s degree in fine art at Chelsea College of Arts with distinction. In her practice, Rita explores her relationship with technology through moving images and various textile techniques. She is interested in how digital devices and popular internet culture are shaping the construction of individual and collective identity.
She has been exhibiting her work since 2016. She has participated in group exhibitions in Portugal and the United Kingdom, such as the Maia Biennial of Contemporary Art (Maia, 2025), "Houseshare" at Firstsite Colchester (Colchester, 2021), and "Late at Tate: Time" at Tate Britain (London, 2019). In 2024, she exhibited the project "Screensaver" at Kubíkulo (Porto) and presented her solo exhibition "Looking for signal" at the Caldeiraria gallery (Porto). That same year, she also participated in the art residency “Animais”, organized by Jared Hawkey and Sofia Oliveira.
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Education
2018-2020
MA Fine Art, Chelsea College of Arts (University of the Arts London), London
2014-2018
BA Visual Arts - Multimedia, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto
Solo and duo exhibitions
2024
“Screen saver”, Kubíkulo, Porto
“Looking for signal”, Caldeiraria, Porto
“Shiver Down My Spine”, O.estúdio Bonfim, Porto
2021
“Ponto Morto”, in collaboration with Ana Luísa Madeira, Porto Image Month, Porto
Group exhibitions
2024
“Animals”, General Uniform and Equipment Workshops, Lisbon
“Insurgencies”, National Exhibition of Young Creators, Santa Maria de Lamas Museum
“Animals,” Cooperativa da Casa Branca, Casa Branca
Convergent Program, Year Zero - Coimbra Biennial, Coimbra
“Where is your safe space?”, :DDD Kunst House, Armenia
“Full Brand”, Branda, Porto
“Conflicted Natures”, Follow Art, Online
“Feminine of no one”, exhibition curated by Manuel Santos Maia, Espaço Mira, Porto
2023
“Plurifobisms”, Oficina Cobalto, Porto
2022
Artist participating in the Chilli Summer festival, CCOP, Porto
“Fine Art Alumni Show”, Chelsea College of Arts, London
2021
Artist participating in the Worm Winter festival, DE LICEIRAS 18, Porto
“House Share”, Firstsite Colchester, London
“Enchanting Cinema”, Motion Sickness Project Space, Cambridge
“Save as”, Estarreja Culture House, Estarreja
“Already in Telheiras”, Lagar da Quinta de S.Vicente, Telheiras
“Light box”, Estação Viva, Canela
2020
“I am a calm person but I get anger bursts”, Arroz Estúdios, Lisbon
“Open borders”, online exhibition with Portland Collective
“I like you better on the internet”, online exhibition with Independent Residence
“New Beginnings”, online exhibition on the Bedroom Artists collective website
2019
“Supernatural”, Wells Projects, London
“Wasteland 2.0”, HARTslane, London
“Finding a Click in a Haystack”, Cedofeita Shopping Center, Porto
Participating Artist, Open Mouth Film Festival, University of The Arts London, London Participating Artist, “Late at Tate: Time”, Tate Britain, London Degree Show, Chelsea College of Arts, London
“Too Much World”, The Cookhouse Gallery, London
“Cookies + Coke”, Old Biscuit Factory, London
“Factory Art Education”, Chelsea College of Arts, London
“Wasteland”, Filet Gallery, London
“One Night Stand”, Wimbledon College of Arts, London
“Thirst Fursday”, The Cookhouse Gallery, London
“Wicked Game”, Chelsea College of Arts, London
2018
“Password”, The Cookhouse Gallery, London
“Spectacular Sensation”, Medicine Gallery, London
“D’Après”, Rectorate of the University of Porto, Porto
“Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth”, The Museum (FBAUP), London
“Christopher got the loin”, Cedofeita Shopping Center, Porto
“Untitled”, BOX32, Porto
“Time-Lapse”, Solar Art Gallery, Vila do Conde 2017
2017
“YES”, Cultural Hunt, Porto
“Montage”, Duque de Saldanha Street, Porto
2016
“Images of the Inner Body”, the Museum (FBAUP), Porto
Residences
2024
Animals, New Media Artist Residency organized by CADA in collaboration with Cooperative of Casa Branca, Alentejo
2022
30works30days, Online Residency with 12th collective
2021
30works30days, Online Residency with 12th collective
2020
Independent Residence, Online Residence
2019
Vomiting Hearts, Online residency with Situation Internet collective,
Curation
“Transcendental Realms”, Online collection of final year student work, UAL Showcase
“Stretched boundaries”, Group exhibition by final year students, London College of Communication, Upper Street Gallery, London
“Surplus of the Unseen”, Online collection of final year student work made in collaboration with Camilla Nicosia and Ioanna Karagiorgou, UAL Showcase
“Displaced Affinities”, Online collection of final year student work made in collaboration with Camilla Nicosia, Ioanna Karagiorgou and Alize Sotelo Gutierrez, UAL Showcase
“Finding a Click in a Haystack”, curated collective exhibition at Cedofeita Shopping Center through the Haystack Projects project, Porto
Curating room CLG17 in the group exhibition “Wicked Game” in collaboration with Rosie Dalstrom, Chelsea College of Arts, London
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Publications
2024
Catalogue of the exhibition “Insurgencies”, Santa Maria de Lamas Museum
Article written by Rui Barros for Meer magazine: https://www.meer.com/pt/80000-instalacoes-e-biotipos-virtuais-de-rita-castanheira
2020
“Thatssosad: to be seen but not to be seen - the obsession of the self”, Article written by Tânia Teixeira for the Decay Art Criticism platform
Gallery Portal 33, Featured Artist on Etéra (online magazine/platform for emerging artists)
Awards
2024
Artist nominated for the Textile Art award at the National Exhibition of Young Creators organized by Gerador: https://gerador.eu/mostra-nacional-de-jovens-criadores/
2020
Student Initiative Fund, UAL, awarded to Haystack_projects
2016
Honorable mention for the acquisition award from the Prof. Anatomy Museum. Nuno Grande