Moana Mayall was born in Região dos Lagos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil- where native Tupinamba culture, observed by Americo Vespuci’s expedition, was allegedly a reference for Thomas Morus’s book Utopia, written in the 16th century.

In her artwork she combines diverse artistic languages in an interdisciplinary approach, experimenting with poetics between personal archive and collective memory, history and fiction, connecting Brazil and Europe through historical and contemporary colonisation themes, intertwined with gender equality movements and countercolonial resistance.

Graduated at Social Communication and studied art and philosophy in Rio, where she was guest Professor at ART-Rio/ UERJ and also started the Interdisciplinary Poetics Master Program, at Fine Arts/UFRJ. In Berlin was selected as artist researcher in residency at ZKU/Berlin, and participated in 3 editions of Transmediale Festival’s Vorspiel, both as artist and curator.

Was selected by programs SAVVY Spinning Triangles- Anstoss Zu einer Schule für Gestaltung; and  ¡n[s]urgênc!as, Berlin based platform for socially conscious artistic practices and activist positions from Latin America.

As artist curator, Moana organized four editions of Vide Urbe, the first exhibition dedicated entirely to video intervention in public venues in Brazil. The project received cultural awards by Oi Futuro and ART Rio International Fair, which allowed the platform to be autonomous in terms of equipment and technical support.

In her last years in Rio, Moana’s art production was associated with activism, both as a member of the Vide Urbe platform or while joining coletivo Projetação (ProjAction collective). Through Vide Urbe platform, she collaborated with ongoing initiatives in the context of self managed cultural collectives, like Ambulante Cultural/Reciclando Pensamentos, Teto Verde Favela, Papo Reto, Comando Selva, and Barraco#55- located in peripheral and favela communities, connecting their social movements and demands to local artistic/ cultural actions, specially those affected by conflicts that segregate their residents, even before the controversial installation of Pacifying Police Units (UPPs) in favela territories.