Rui Toscano was born in Lisbon in 1970. Between 1988 and 1990 he studied painting at Ar.Co - Centro de Artes e Comunicação Visual, continuing his training at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon, where he attended the courses of Painting (1989-1994) and Sculpture (1994-1997). He also began to exhibit as a student, in exhibitions he organised with artists of the same generation, namely: Independent Worm Saloon, SNBA, 1994; Zapping Ecstasy, at the Círculo de Artes Plásticas de Coimbra, 1996; and X-Rated, at ZDB, 1997. He was awarded the Latin Union Prize in 2000 together with João Onofre.

Toscano has been working in the field of sculpture, sound, video, installation, photography and drawing. Bricks are heavy, made in 1994 is the first work in a series of sculpture-installations made from the radio recorder in which the emblematic work ...They Say We're Generation X But I Say We're Generation Fuck You!, 1995, stand out. Technically in obsolescence, the presentation of these objects reactivates sound characteristics and formally summons the minimalist visual legacy. Since 2009, he has been working on space exploration and the cosmos, in works that cross the cinematographic science fiction and the imaginary of preclassic civilizations.

In parallel, he has developed artistic collaborations in projects such as Tone Scientists with Rui Valério and Carlos Roque; and Dub Video Connection, with João Carrilho (1997-2000). In 1991 he created Moneyland Records with João Paulo Feliciano, an artist with whom he also integrated the group Houseware Experience, together with Hélder Luís and Rui Valério, and the collective Houselab, in which Rafael Toral, Rui Gato and Hélder Luís also participate.

His work has been exhibited in numerous exhibitions, including the individual exhibitions Rui Toscano 1, Museu de Serralves, 2002; Abstrakt, Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna, 2006; The Great Curve, Chiado 8 - Arte Contemporânea, 2009; Rui Toscano Esculturas Sonoras 1994-2013, Culturgest Lisboa, 2013; Rui Toscano Civilizações de Tipo I, II, III, MNAC and CIAJG (20015-16); and Eu Sou o Cosmos, Cristina Guerra Contemporay Art, 2018. Among other public and private institutions, his work is represented in the collections of Caixa Geral de Depósitos, António Cachola Collection, Serralves Collection, Luso-American Development Foundation, and PLMJ.

RS, setembro 2020

Umbigo Magazine

Rui Toscano

Pedro Valdez Cardoso