By Theo Gould
Ana Paganini (Lisbon, 1995) started taking photographs at a young age, with her father who was a documentary photographer. Her father’s death shaped her to use photography as an act of resistance against death and disappearance. All of Paganini’s work is in some way a tribute to the past, by documenting life’s transience and the traces we leave behind. Ana’s interests lie in uncovering the past through deep research, she considers herself an emotional documentarian, and sees a photograph as a Memento Mori.
From 2014 to 2018 Ana studied Documentary Filmmaking at the London College of Communication (University of the Arts London), where she thoroughly explored the Stanley Kubrick Archive for her dissertation on Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon (1975). Ana then went on to work as a set photographer for both theater companies and film productions.
Ana’s documentary projects focus mainly on the themes of personal and collective memory, identity, and cultural traditions. Ana’s project Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet, was shortlisted for the Best Photography Project of 2022 by the Sociedade Portuguesa de Autores.
Ana’s work extends from photojournalism to fashion. Her clientele includes The Financial Times, M Le Magazine du Monde, ZEIT, The British Journal of Photography, Bloomberg, Le Monde Diplomatique, Marie Claire France, Hermès, Fenwick, Soho House, Pfizer, The Nature Journal, and Hallmark Media, among others.
Ana collaborates with a range of institutions such as: Serralves Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation, Casa de Mateus Foundation, EDP Foundation, MAAT, Rialto6, Albuquerque Foundation, The National Museum of Natural History and Science, Appleton Association, Brotéria, Fronteira and Alorna Foundation, Nova SBE School, NFTS, The Goethe-Institut , Institute Hercule Florence, and The Eça de Queiroz Foundation.
Ana is a member of Women Photograph since 2022.
In 2023 she was shortlisted for the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize that resulted in a group show at The National Portrait Gallery. In 2024 and in 2025 Ana was nominated for the Leica Oskar Barnack Award. In 2025 Ana was part of the Royal Photographic Society IPE in London’s Saatchi Gallery. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in the UK, Germany, and Portugal.
In 2026 Ana gave her first TED x, at Culturgest, Lisboa, telling her story with photography and the Happy Hermits love story.
Interviews
Collective Exhibitions
VMN, 2026
Assembleia da Republica, 2026
Galeria Santa Maria Maior, 2025
Galeria Sá da Costa, 2025
Sociedade Nacional de Belas Artes, 2025
Fine Print, Lisbon 2025
The Royal Photographic Society International Photography Exhibition 166- Saatchi Gallery, 2025
Art Room - Lisbon, 2025
‘About Suffering They Were Never Wrong’, Hatton Gallery - Newcastle, 2024
Sociedade Nacional de Belas Artes, 2024
Casa dos Cubos - Centro de Estudos em Fotografia de Tomar - Tomar, 2024
Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Award - The National Portrait Gallery - London, 2023
Lisbon Art Office - Lisbon, 2023
Galeria Santa Maria Maior, Lisbon, 2023
Der Grief - PAVILLON 333 - Pinakothek der Moderne, 2023
Colectivo 284 - Lisbon, 2022
Maus Habitos - Vila Real, 2022
Atelier de Lisboa - Lisbon, 2022
Farnesina - Lisbon, 2022
Cabral Moncada Leilões - Lisbon, 2021
Galeria Serra - Mallorca, 2021
Galeria Aina Nowack - Menorca, 2021
(Online) Pousio Arte e Cultura - Lisbon, 2020
(Online) Espaço Cultural Mercês - Lisbon, 2020
Galeria Cossoul - Lisbon, 2019
Then There Was Us - Manchester, 2019
Casa Independente - Lisbon, 2019
Base Lx - Forte Santo António da Barra - Estoril, 2018
University of St Andrews - St Andrews, 2017
Deleme Espaço Arte - Lisbon, 2017
Cobre Bar - Lisbon, 2016
While Away - LX Factory - Lisbon, 2016
The She Mouse Photo Event - Espaço João Sousa Valles - Lisbon, 2010
The She Mouse Photo Event - Lota de Cascais - Cascais, 2008
The She Mouse Photo Event - Junta de Freguesia do Estoril - Estoril, 2007
The She Mouse Photo Event - Estoril, 2004
Collections
Brotéria
Hatton Gallery - University of Newcastle
Bordalo II
Fundação da Casa de Mateus
Fundação das Casa Fronteira e Alorna
Kees Eijrond Foundation
Solo Exhibitions
Morais Leitão, 2026
Fundação da Casa de Mateus, Vila Real, 2025
Gremio Literario, Lisbon, 2025
Espaço Cultural Merces - Lisbon, 2021
Centro Cultural de Safara - Safara, 2019
The Portuguese Love Affair - London, 2017
Espaço Cultural Deleme - Lisbon, 2016
Fundação da Casa de Mateus - Vila Real, 2007
Awards and Acknowledgments
Nominated for Joop Swart Masterclass World Press Photo - 2006
Nominated for LOBA - Leica Oskar Barnack Award - 2026
Shortlisted for Discovery Awards 2025 - Encontros da Imagem
Shortlisted for Emergentes 2025 - Encontros da Imagem
Shortlisted for Les Rencontres de la Photographie Marrakech - 2025
Nominated for LOBA - Leica Oskar Barnack Award - 2025
30 Under 30 Women Photographers 2025 - Artpil
Nominated for LOBA - Leica Oskar Barnack Award - 2024
Shortlisted for The Royal Photographic Society International Photography Exhibition 166 - 2024
Shortlisted for Emergentes 2024 - International Photography Award Encontros da Imagem
1st Place - People’s Pick at the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Award - 2024
Shortlisted for the Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Award - 2023
Shortlisted for Best Photography Project of 2022 - Sociedade Portuguesa de Autores
Shortlisted for Top 5 Best Photographers of 2020 - Clube de Criativos Portugal
Honourable Mention by Emma Lewis, Curator at Tate Modern - 2019
Talks / Interviews
II Jornadas de Trabalho PAEM - Projeto 'Estudos e Arquivos do Miguelismo, Lisboa, 2026
MUHNAC - Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência - Lisboa, 2026
House of Photography - Fujifilm , Porto, 2026
Galeria Lumina, 2026
STET, 2026
Pequenas Reivindicações de Liberdade, Observador - 2026
Tons da Gente, 2026
TVI Programa Autores SPA, 2025
Lisbon Street Photography Festival, 2025
Encontros da Imagem, Braga, 2025
Art Room - Lisbon, 2025
Antena 1 - Cinco à Quinta - 2025
Encontros da Imagem - Braga, 2024
Livraria Linha de Sombra, Cinemateca Portuguesa - 2024
Atelier de Lisboa - 2024
Casa dos Cubos - Centro de Estudos em Fotografia de Tomar - 2024
Mostra de Fotografia de Arroios - Projeção Emergentes - Lisboa, 2023
Friends in the Arts - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation - Lisbon, 2022
Antena 1 - As Mulheres Não Existem - 2021
St Julian’s School - Carcavelos, 2021
Book Launches
Morais Memorabilia - Memory Game - Livraria Linha de Sombra, Cinemateca Portuguesa - 2024
Morais Memorabilia - Memory Game - Atelier de Lisboa, 2024
A Panificadora de Vila Real de Nadir Afonso - Vila Real, 2022
AND - Annual 2022 - THEN THERE WAS US - Manchester, 2022
Velharias Morais - Lisbon PhotoBook Fair - Lisbon, 2021
Velharias Morais - Espaço Cultural Merces - Lisbon, 2021
AND - Annual 2019 - THEN THERE WAS US - Manchester, 2019
Janis e o Mar - Jardim Botânico de Lisboa - Lisbon, 2019
Janis e o Mar - Casa da Cultura Comporta - Comporta, 2019
Artistic Residencies
National Museum of Natural History and Science - MUHNAC - Museum of Natural History and Science - Lisbon, 2025
Dartmoor Summer School of Photography - Plymouth - U.K, 2019