Joao was probably born in Quito, Angola, in 1927. He is the oldest member of the group and as such enjoys this privilege! He grew up in the hunter-gatherer tradition. In the 50s he worked in Johannesburg at a gold mine where he had the opportunity to learn a few letters and numbers. He saved his money wisely and took it home -- this also allowed him to get married. He then went to work on a coffee plantation, but had to flee when war broke out and his parents were killed. He married Zurietta Dala in Omega, Namibia, and they then moved to Schmidtsdrift, in South Africa in 1990. He joined the Art Project in 1993. 

His style is playful and spontaneous, and he makes use of numbers and letters as decorative symbols. He prefers to use animals, insects, people and lively scenes as motifs. His signature 'Joao' is often used as an element in his linoleum prints.