Lives and works in Belo Horizonte and São João Del Rei, Brazil.

Graduated in drawing from the School of Fine Arts of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in 2002. He began his artistic activity researching the close relations between city and individual. Among his main solo exhibitions are: Jardim Impostor, Galeria Silvia Cintra + Box 4 (Rio de Janeiro), Natureza das Coisas, Centro Cultural Fiesp (São Paulo 2019), Naufrágio calado [Silent Ship­wreck], Bendana-Pinel Art Contemporain (Paris, 2018), Estado da natureza [State of Nature], CâmeraSete (Belo Horizonte, 2016), Natureza das coisas [Nature of Things], 9º BES Photo, Museu Coleção Berardo (Lisbon, 2013), Reacción natural [Natural Reaction], SUBTE Exhibi­tion Center (Montevideo, 2011), and 27th National Art Salon of Belo Horizonte / Pampulha grant (Belo Horizonte, 2004). He has also participated in group exhibitions, such as Past/Future/Present, Phoenix Art Museum (2017); Feito poeira ao vento – fotografia na Coleção MAR [Like dust in the wind – photography in the MAR Collection], Rio Art Museum (2017); Les imaginaires d’un monde in–tranquille, Centre d’Art Contemporain de Meymac (2017); Soulèvements, curat­ed by Georges Didi-Huberman, Jeu de Paume (Paris, 2016); TRIO Biennial, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil do Rio de Janeiro (CCBB RJ, 2015); 18th Contemporary Art Festival Sesc_Vid­eobrasil – Southern Panoramas (São Paulo, 2013); 1st Masp Photography Biennial (São Paulo, 2013); Panorama of Brazilian Art, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM-SP, 2011); Peso y Levedad [Weight and Lightness], Photoespaña, Instituto Cervantes (Madrid, 2011); 2nd Bucha­rest Biennale (2006); and Contemporary Brazilian Photography, Neue Berliner (2006).

Motta was awarded the 6th Marcantonio Vilaça Prize (2017); the ICCo/SP-Arte Grant (2015); the Flora ars + natura Residency (2013); the 9th BES Photo Berardo Collection Museum (2011); the Ibram Contemporary Art Prize (2011); and the Residency Unlimited/New York (2011).

His work is included in collections of institutions such as MAM-SP, MAM-RJ, MAM-BA, Masp, Sesc-SP, Museu de arte do Rio (MAR-RJ), Museu Coleção Berardo (Lisbon), Centro de Fotografía de Montevideo and Itaú Cultural.

In 2010, he published a book, Temprano [Early] (Funarte), comprising more than ten years of his work.