A leading figure on today's photography scene in Brazil, this multi-talented artist has studied filmmaking, paints – his painting-inflected work will be on show at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris in the autumn – and creates installations. Overflowing with sensual exuberance, Miguel Rio Branco's work makes splendid use of light, colour and underlying drama. Muted, suffocated cries…"This exhibition/installation goes back to an invitation from Tereza Siza, Director of the Centro Português de Fotografia in Porto, in 2001. The site always plays a major part in my installations, and when Tereza asked me to create a work on the subject of "Power" in the old courthouse I found it the challenge fascinating. My idea was to dissociate the notion of power from that of oppression, injustice, suffering and death, and to do it in a place closely linked to justice. The version I presented then was basically audiovisual. "This year I was very taken with the idea of showing in a spiritual locale of awe-inspiring proportions. The Eglise des Frères Prêcheurs – the Church of the Dominicans – has been a listed historical monument since 1921; it's full of archaeological and historical interest and lends itself to amazing exercises in rechannelling. "My exhibition uses a range of visual installations, bringing together montages of images, soundworks, video, and my great love – painting. "Despite my recent desire to work in a less sombre vein, my view of humanity and today's world – even if most of the images are closely tied to the past – is in no way optimistic." Miguel Rio Branco