Mátio Macilau was born in 1984 in Maputo, Mozambique.

As the plants do not choose a garden where they sprout and blossom, the young Mozambican photographer Mário Macilau was born in the newly independent Mozambique, in the midst of the most critical phase of the civil war in 1984.

Around 1960 Macilau 's family struggled financially and moved from the Inhambane province to the capital Maputo to look for better life conditions.

When Mário was 10 years old he began working in a small market frequented by the middle/upper class, washing cars in the station park and helping to carry the groceries in an effort to support his family

Mário Macilau started photographing in 2003, turning professional in 2007. He sees photography as an arena for creative and active expression. His works alternate between conceptual photography and long term documentary projects, focusing on contemporary issues as well as cultural heritage, dealing with post conflict environments and urban and rural areas, creating a relation between people and time/space.