Plastic artist, scenographer and director, he was born in 1947 in Torres Novas, Portugal. In 1966 he was admitted to the course in Architecture at the Lisbon School of Fine Arts but was forced to seek refuge in Belgium for not supporting the colonial war in Africa. In Brussels he attended the courses in Painting and Engraving at the ENSAAV–La Cambre.
Within the scope of the plastic arts, he held individual exhibitions and participated in collective exhibitions. His works are represented in both Portuguese and foreign galleries and museums. From 1971 onwards, heworked as a scenographer and play producer.
In 1974, João Brites, co-founded Teatro O Bando, a unique project where he has prepared, directed and staged since then more than sixty scenic versions of non-dramatic texts. He has conceived scenic spaces in unpredictable territories, devising and building O BANDO’S iconic scene machines; during his career has directed and coordinated many national and international major events for several thousand spectators. He was also co-founder of the Portuguese delegation of ASSITEJ, artistic director of the International Street Arts Festival and Director of the Expo ’98 Shows Unit.
In 2011 he was the commissioner for the Official Portuguese representation of the 12th Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space.
He was an acting teacher for 20 years in Superior Theatre and Cinema School, in Lisbon. Besides he’s direction tasks, he created and currently heads the actor’s training team within OBando’s certified course: ACTOR’S AWARENESS ON STAGE.
