VADU RODRIGUES
Born in 1987, Praia, Cape Verde;
SPEAKER OF 5 LANGUAGES - Kriolu, English, Portuguese, Spanish, French.
WORLD TRAVELER, 31 COUNTRIES - Austria, Brazil, Benin, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Germany, Hungary, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Luxembourg, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Senegal, Switzerland, Togo, The Gambia, The Netherlands, USA.
EDUCATION
2026 - Master of Fine Arts, Studio Art, Michigan State University - MI, USA;
09/2013 - Computer Science Degree - University of Madeira, Portugal;
AWARDS / GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS
08/2026 - Nomination for the 2026 Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Awards - MSU, MI, USA;
08/2025 - AAHD Professional Development Fellowship - MSU, MI, USA;
04/2025 - Varg-Sullivan Endowed Graduate Award, by the College of Arts & Letters - MSU, MI, USA;
04/2025 - Summer Support Fellowship - MSU, MI, USA;
03/2025 - 2025 Stanley & Selma Hollander Award, by the Department of Art, Art History, and Design - MSU, MI, USA
03/2025 - 2025 Emerging Leaders Award, by Black Faculty, Staff, and Administrators Association (BFSAA) - MSU, MI, USA;
03/2025 - 2025 Nnamdi Azikiwe Award, by The African Studies Center - MSU, MI, USA;
11/2024 - 2025 COGS Disciplinary Leadership Award - MSU, MI, USA;
08/2024 - AAHD Professional Development Fellowship - MSU, MI, USA;
11/2023 - Travel Grants, Africa Study Centre - MSU, MI, USA;
10/2023 - West African Leadership Summit 2023, WALEC - Lagos, Nigeria;
03/2023 - Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Madeira - Portugal;
07/2022 - Mandela Washington Fellowship;
EXHIBITIONS
SOLO
04/2026 - QUEEN MOTHERS - Struk Studio Gallery - Lansing - MI, USA
01/2025 - “CAN WE ALL STOP PRETENDING?” - LookOut Gallery, RCAH - MSU - MI, USA;
09/2024 - “CAN WE ALL STOP PRETENDING?” - Kresge Art Centre, AAHD - MSU - MI, USA;
05/2024 - Popup Exhibition, University of Port Harcourt - Nigeria;
12/2022 - POSITIVE AFRICA (a partnership with the EU) - Praia, Cabo Verde;
07/2022 - POSITIVE WEST AFRICA, MSU - MI, USA
11/2021 - PÉ NA TXADA - Praia, Cape Verde;
GROUP
06/2026 - 4th edition Bienal Black (Artist Selected) - Recife - Brasil
03/2025 - 2026 MFA Exhibition Showcases the Work of Five Artist-Scholars - Broad Eli Art Museum - EL, MI, USA;
10/2025 - Local Sources: an exhibit of zines, prints, and books - (SCENE) Metrospace Gallery, MI, USA;
08/2025, 08/2024 and 08/2023 - MFA Candidate Group Show, AAHD - MSU, MI, USA;
08/2024 - Cabo Verde, Entre Terras e Mar, Parthenay, France;
03/2023 - “Creativity in time of Covid-19” - MI, USA;
TEACHING EXPERIENCE / ARTIST TALKS / CONFERENCE / RESIDENCY
Spring 2026, Fall 2025, and Fall 2024 - INSTRUCTOR OF RECORD STA370 PHOTO 1, Department AAHD - MSU, MI, USA;
02/2026 - CAA 114th Annual Conference, SPEAKER - African Art, Western Market - Chicago, IL, USA
10/2025 - SPE Midwest Chapter, SPEAKER, Photography to challenge the negative narrative of Africa -Detroit, MI, USA;
09/2024 - ARTIST TALK, RCAH - MSU, MI, USA;
Summer 2024 and 2023 - MANDELA WASHINGTON FELLOWSHIP 2024, Art Facilitator and Communication Expertise, College of Art and Letters - MSU, MI, USA;
05/2024 - 06/2024 - FACILITATOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP, University of Port Harcourt - Nigeria;
08/2023 - 04/2024 - TEACHING ASSISTANT, Department AAHD - MSU, MI, USA
09/2023 - UBUNTU GATHERING, Workshop Facilitator, Africa Study Centre - MSU, MI, USA;
11/2023 - Africa No Filter Summit 2023, SPEAKER - Nairobi, Kenya;
07/2022 - Pé Na Txada at CCM, SPEAKER - Mindelo, Cape Verde;
06/2022 - Artist Talk at Lansing Art Gallery, SPEAKER - Lansing, MI, USA;
05/2022 - Pé Na Txada at CCCV, SPEAKER - Lisbon, Portugal;
09/2021 - TEDx Speaker - TEDxPraia - Praia, Cape Verde;
02/2020 - VII IGNITE TALK, Speaker - Praia, Cape Verde;
12/2022 - US-AFRICA LEADERS SUMMIT 2022 - Invited by former Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Washington, DC, USA;
09/2013 - Residency - THE DREAMERS PROJECT - Pergine, Italy;
04/2026 - Positive Africa, como um fotógrafo cabo-verdiano está a devolver a África a narrativa sobre si própria, by Bantumen, Portugal
04/2026 - MFA Artist Uses Art as Activism to Challenge Stereotypes and Celebrate African Culture, by ART MSU, MSU
10/2025 - Vadu Rodrigues: Changing the World’s View of Africa, by ART MSU, MSU
02/2025 - Article MFA Candidate Uses Art to Create Positive Africa Movement, Challenging Negative Perceptions of the Continent and Black Diaspora, by College of Arts & Letters, MSU;
01/2025 - Listed among 5 African photographers changing Africa's visual perceptions, by Africa No Filter - Digital, Africa;
04/2024 - Article Tro-Tro, TenderPhoto - Digital, Africa
12/2023 - Article, Pé Na Txada, LOLWE - London, UK
11/2022 - Interview with Rumos, RTP África - Lisbon, Portugal;
08/2022 - Article about Positive Africa, Balai - Praia, Cabo Verde
08/2022 - Article about Positive Africa, Expresso das ilhas - Praia, Cabo Verde
08/2022 - FRAME, RTC - Praia, Cabo Verde;
12/2021 - Morning Show, RTC - Praia, Cabo Verde;
03/2021 - Falemos da CDAO - Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Praia, Cabo Verde;
PUBLICATIONS / COLLABORATION / PHOTOJOURNALISM / EVENTS
11/2021 - SOJU PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT, Photographer, NYC, USA;
11/2021 - DESTAS ILHAS QUE SE TORNOU APELIDO, Photographer in an article about Dino d’Santiago by the newspaper Expresso Portugal, Lisbon, Portugal;
09/2021 - PROJECTO XALABAS, Book, Praia, Cape Verde;
03/2020 - WORLD HISTORY ABOUT COVID-19, Photographer, dearwold.com, USA;
PHOTOJOURNALISM / EVENTS / CONCEPTUAL
08/2024 - Collaboration with WKAR in an Article, Photographer - MI, USA;
03/2023 - 09/2022 - 04/2022 - 4/2019 - 4/2018 - SPRING BREAK PORTUGAL FESTIVAL, Photography Coordenador, Albufeira, Portugal;
08/2019 - TBLF (THEA BARNES LEGACY FOUND), a collaboration with THE LION KING MUSICAL, Event Photographer, Lyceum Theatre, London, UK;
02/2019 - FIMO 228, Event photographer, Lome, Togo;
01/2019 - VOICE SMITH, Editorial for a brand, London, UK;