Halfstudio
Mariana Branco and Emanuel Barreira, known as Halfstudio, are Portuguese artists who focus on lettering and sign painting, using vibrant colors and three-dimensional letters in their work.
Biography
Bio
Mariana Branco and Emanuel Barreira, both born in 1986, are Portuguese artists who form the collective Halfstudio. Their work revolves around lettering and sign painting, with a strong emphasis on community-inspired messages.
Academic Carrer
Specific details about Mariana Branco and Emanuel Barreira's academic backgrounds are not widely available online.
Professional Carrer
As Halfstudio, Mariana Branco and Emanuel Barreira have developed a distinctive visual language characterized by three-dimensional letters and dynamic layouts. Their work often reflects the community where the art is created and has been showcased in exhibitions and urban art festivals both in Portugal and internationally.
Influences
Their art is inspired by the communities in which they work, leading to vibrant and striking messages integrated into their murals and urban interventions.
Works from Halfstudio
EMPATHY
Halfstudio
including VAT
Edition of /35 + 5 AP
UV printing on translucent orange fluor plexiglass
Engraved signature and numbering
41.8 × 30 cm
2025
In today’s world, empathy feels more urgent than ever — the ability to listen, to see through another’s eyes, to be moved by what is not your own. Art nurtures empathy by opening doors to different worlds through images and creations that speak universally. Portuguese duo Halfstudio channels this power through bold, playful typography that transforms words into vibrant visual experiences. Their limited edition Empathy reflects imbalance and tension, showing that empathy is not effortless, but a conscious act.As the artists put it:“A word we see everywhere: headlines, campaigns, conversations. Familiar, overused, and often emptied of meaning. Empathy isn’t easy. It asks for presence, patience, and the willingness to carry what isn’t yours. It resists comfort. It’s not embellishment. It’s an act of endurance.”
Fearless Artist's Proof
Halfstudio
including VAT
Edition of /30 + 5 AP
Two-colour screen print on paper
Signed and numbered by the artist
Keaykolour White 300 g/m2 paper
70 × 50 cm
2017
Discover other artists
Projects
Let's Eat!
- AKACORLEONE
- Cássio Markowski
- Fidel Évora
- Halfstudio
- Julien Raffin
- Maria Imaginário
- Marta Lapeña
- Pitanga
- Raquel Belli
- Tamara Alves
- Unidigrazz




