
Miguel Basto
- Nationality and Birth Year
- Portuguese | 2006
- Occupation
- Sculptor
- Styles
- Sculpture, Found Objects
- Location
- Based in Lisbon, Portugal
"Urban debris carries silent narratives—each discarded object holds a story of movement, function, and abandonment. By repurposing them, I attempt to weave these fragments into new compositions that reflect the transient nature of the city and the body within it."
Artist Statement
Miguel Basto (2005, Portugal) is a visual artist whose practice engages with the interplay between the human body, urban space, and material transformation. His work explores the ways in which bodies navigate, occupy, and respond to their surroundings, examining the tensions and rhythms that emerge from these interactions.
Central to his practice is the reuse of urban waste and found objects, materials that bear the marks of their past functions and histories. By collecting, assembling, and recontextualizing these elements, he constructs layered compositions that challenge conventional notions of permanence, authorship, and value. His approach balances spontaneity with structure, allowing the inherent characteristics of the materials to inform the final form of his works.
In recent projects, Miguel has investigated the aesthetics of movement and composition through sculptural and installation-based interventions. By integrating discarded materials into his practice, he not only reclaims physical remnants of the urban landscape but also engages in a broader conversation about cycles of consumption, obsolescence, and renewal.
His work has been exhibited in various group shows, utilizing sculpture and mixed media to reflect on the evolving relationship between people and their built environments. Through his practice, he seeks to reveal the overlooked poetics of everyday materials, transforming what is discarded into new visual narratives that speak to the fluid and ever-changing nature of contemporary urban life.
Featured Works

Movement study
Miguel Basto

Mataduro
Miguel Basto

Walking path performance
Miguel Basto

Metal study
Miguel Basto

Metal study
Miguel Basto

Memory
Miguel Basto

Target practice
Miguel Basto

Spacial study
Miguel Basto

Spacial study
Miguel Basto

The construction worker lunch
Miguel Basto

Walking path performance
Miguel Basto

Mataduro
Miguel Basto