Waldomiro de Deus (Itagibá BA 1944)
Waldomiro de Deus is a painter and draftsman internationally recognized as one of the most creative exponents of naïve art. Of humble origins, he had a childhood and youth marked by an itinerant life through the sertão of Bahia and the north of Minas Gerais, before settling in São Paulo in 1959, where he first worked as a shoeshine boy. His contact with art came about in an unusual way in 1961, when he began painting with materials found in the house of an antique dealer where he worked as a gardener. After being dismissed, he took his first works to exhibit at the Viaduto do Chá and, surprisingly, sold two of them on the first day.
The support of the decorator Terry Della Stuffa, who provided him with materials and space to paint, was fundamental to his artistic development. In 1966, he held his first solo exhibition at the Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado (FAAP). Waldomiro gained notoriety both for his talent and for his irreverent personality, as when he paraded in a miniskirt along Rua Augusta at the height of the hippie movement. His works caused controversy by depicting religious figures in modern, sensual clothing, such as Our Lady in a miniskirt and Jesus in shorts, which even led to his being persecuted by members of the TFP organization. Even so, he stood firm in his freedom of artistic expression.
Over the course of his career, he exhibited in several countries, such as England, Italy, Belgium, Germany and the United States, gaining international recognition. Since the 1960s, he has lived solely from his art, depicting with vibrant colors and a style of his own the daily life, folklore and legends of the northeastern backlands, such as the headless mule and the werewolf, as well as scatological and erotic scenes. A striking feature of his work is the constant presence of three little dogs in every canvas, as well as the depiction of human figures that are always mixed-race, never white or Black.
Considered, together with José Antônio da Silva and Djanira, one of Brazil's greatest primitive artists, Waldomiro de Deus received in 1983 the Awarding the Statue of Victory prize, granted by the Centro Studi e Ricerche Delle Nazioni in Italy. His work remains a vibrant and authentic record of Brazilian popular culture, marked by originality and creative freedom.
Critiques
"Waldomiro de Deus's painting aspires, above all, to communication with others. A painting of narrative, of implicit story, of recording facts, an image that tells the onlooker, who knows, guesses or hears and imagines through the eyes. A spontaneous theme, as necessary as the vibration of the artist who compulsively covers the flat surface of canvases and walls with the characters, circumstances and details of the facts he wants to communicate. It is the painting of illustration or record, in keeping with the pictorial tradition of so many peoples of humankind. A painting bound to the reality of man, his life and his death. His busy compositions are agitated, like the restlessness that grips the painter in his eagerness to communicate well and, in the religious foundation on which his art rests, to try to exorcise evil, attract blessings, and also obtain peace for a tumultuous world. In his works, drawing flows, populating every space, for as long as there is an untouched area the artist will have a detail to add, in the desire to make his message more explicit. With forms bounded by the dark line, or free in the pure relationship of color with color, ´flat painting, with brown flesh´, as Walmyr Ayala has already noted and there is no need to repeat, Waldomiro paints the Brazilian people as protagonists of biblical episodes. These he reinterprets with relish and powerful vitality, giving them topicality through a caboclo treatment".
Aracy Amaral
WALDOMIRO de Deus: críticas. Apresentação de Olney Kruse. São Paulo: s.ed., 1979.
"Waldomiro de Deus Souza is probably the greatest revelation of recent times in Brazilian primitive painting. In less than two years, he has produced numerous works, notable for their pictorial quality as well as their variety. He has also revealed an artistic personality of a kind unusual among Brazilian primitive painters, which promises great future development. (...) Brazilian primitive painters of rural origin are generally characterized by a vision several centuries behind contemporary civilization. Artists of the Romantic or Gothic era often appear. Waldomiro surprised through his modernity. He became known for his paintings with astronautical themes, being called the rocket painter. On the other hand, a large part of his work relates to life in the interior of Bahia. In some works he has dealt with aspects of the São Paulo metropolis. Waldomiro has an exceptional interest in the supernatural, which is one of the most frequent themes of his paintings. Like most Brazilian primitive painters, he is deeply religious. There are, however, very peculiar traits in his religiosity, which is violent and laden with eschatological forebodings. He has a prophetic temperament, hardly contemplative. He curiously combines apocalyptic eschatology with his interest in interplanetary travel".
Mário Schenberg
SCHENBERG, Mário. Pensando a arte. São Paulo: Nova Stella, 1988.
"Waldomiro is a chronicler who uses brushes. His work brings together social observation, scatology, eroticism, religion, mystical fantasy and political criticism. His extravagant imagination does not distinguish the real from the imaginary, approaching the triviality of everyday life or utopia with the same ease. Intuitive, Waldomiro's art has deep roots in rural life, combined with urban elements, reflecting the artist's own path. His universe is made up of images that are strong and at the same time naïve, rendered in vibrant colors. The compositions have no perspective; the characters seem to float in space. The figures depicted are always mixed-race, like the artist himself, who in this way signifies Brazil's racial and cultural mixing. The Italian critic Lino Cavallari told him that in this he resembles Gauguin, who went to live in Polynesia and painted only the brown-skinned natives".
Alexandre Agabiti Fernandez
FERNANDEZ, Alexandre Agabiti. "Waldomiro de Deus, um cronista dos pincéis". In: Valor Econômico, São Paulo, 24 de set. de 2001.
Testimonials
"I never went to school. I missed that in life. But even so, from the beginning, my painting has sprung up like a gift... I found my second angel: the physicist and art critic Mário Schenberg. He read my works as if they were a book... I loved those shops with beautiful clothes. One day, I saw a miniskirt in a shop window. I didn't know what it was. I tried it on and saw that it was for women. The shop owner challenged me. She said she'd pay me if I went out in the middle of the street wearing it. I didn't think twice. They called me every ugly name there was... I painted Our Lady in a miniskirt with a garter belt and boots... Like me, Van Gogh was a rebel.... Gauguin's brown figures fascinate me. I don't like painting white or Black people. What I draw are the mixed-race people of the Brazil of the year 2050".
Waldomiro de Deus
DEUS, Waldomiro de. "O brasileiro do ano 2050". Disponível em: [www.waldomirodedeus.com.br]
"I could do decorative painting and get rich, but I prefer to live in Osasco, among simple people. I come from these people, I am part of them. I see the problems and joys of the people, which are themes always present in my painting".
Waldomiro de Deus
DEUS, Waldomiro de. "Waldomiro de Deus, um cronista dos pincéis" (depoimento dado a Alexandre Agabiti Fernandez). In: Valor Econômico, São Paulo, 24 de set. de 2001.
Solo Exhibitions
1961 - São Paulo SP - Shows his works on card stock at the Viaduto do Chá
1964 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Directa
1964 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria São Luís
1965 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Propostas, at Galeria Meia Pataca
1966 - Campinas SP - Solo, at Museu de Arte de Campinas
1966 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Faap
1966 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Directa
1967 - Santos SP - Solo, at Galeria Kiart
1967 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Da Vinci
1967 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Sesc Paulista
1968 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Aliança Francesa
1969 - Paris (France) - Solo, at Galeria Antoinette
1969 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Voltaico
1970 - London (England) - Solo, at Galeria da Embaixada do Brasil
1970 - Paris (France) - Solo, at Museu de Laval
1970 - Paris (France) - La Maison et son Décor
1971 - Alabama (United States) - Solo, at Galeria Courtney
1971 - Bernardi (Italy) - Solo, at Galleria d'Arte D.
1971 - Bologna (Italy) - Solo, at Galleria d'Arte La Colonna
1971 - Florence (Italy) - Solo, at Galleria d'Arte Arno
1971 - Hollywood (United States) - Solo, at Galeria Municipal de Arte
1971 - Jerusalem (Israel) - Solo, at Casa do Artista de Jerusalém
1971 - Tel Aviv (Israel) - Solo, at Zoa-House
1972 - Brussels (Belgium) - Solo, at Galeria Isy Brachot
1973 - Bologna (Italy) - Solo, at Galeria Cherry
1973 - Bologna (Italy) - Solo, at Galeria Nacional
1973 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at MNBA
1974 - Italy - Solo, at Galeria Aldebaran
1974 - Milan (Italy) - Solo, at Galeria Fel Barcon
1974 - Milan (Italy) - Solo, at Galeria La Grande Domenica
1974 - Munich (Germany) - Solo, at Charlotte Galerie Fuer Naive
1974 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Sesc
1976 - Paris (France) - Solo, at Galeria L'Oeil de Boeuf
1976 - Salvador BA - Solo, at Galeria Panorama
1977 - Osasco SP - Solo, at Museu de Osasco
1978 - Osasco SP - Solo, at Faculdade de Direito de Osasco
1978 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Jardim das Artes
1979 - Brasília DF - Solo, at Hotel Eron
1979 - Piracicaba SP - Solo, at Teatro Municipal
1979 - Salvador BA - Solo, at Galeria Panorama
1979 - São Bernardo do Campo SP - Solo, at Teatro Cacilda Becker
1980 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Cravo e Canela
1980 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Paço das Artes
1981 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Jean-Jacques
1981 - São Bernardo do Campo SP - Solo, at Pinacoteca de São Bernardo do Campo
1981 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Associação Paulista do Ministério Público
1982 - São Bernardo do Campo SP - Solo, at Pinacoteca de São Bernardo do Campo
1982 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Paço Municipal
1984 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Jacques Ardies
1986 - Campinas SP - 25 Years of Painting, at MACC
1987 - Florianópolis SC - Solo, at Masc
1987 - Joinville SC - Solo, at Museu de Arte
1989 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Itaugaleria
1990 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Portal Galeria de Arte
1991 - Goiânia GO - Solo, at Casa Grande Galeria de Arte
1991 - Paris (France) - Solo, at La Grande Bouveche Centre Cultural André Malraux Ville D'Orsay
1995 - São Bernardo do Campo SP - The Mysterious World in the Paintings of Waldomiro de Deus, at Paço Municipal
1999 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Crossing of the Millennium, at Museu de Belas Artes do Rio de Janeiro
2001 - Osasco SP - Deforestation, at Osasco Plaza Shopping
2001 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at Ipren
2004 - São Paulo SP - Solo, at MuBE
2005 - Osasco SP - Waldomiro: Exhibition of Redress, at Unifieo
Group Exhibitions
1962 - São Paulo SP - 1st Folklore Fair, at Salão do Parque da Água Branca
1963 - Alabama (United States) - Group show, organized by Itamaraty
1963 - Texas (United States) - Group show, organized by Itamaraty
1963 - Washington D.C. (United States) - Group show, organized by Itamaraty
1965 - São Paulo SP - Propostas 65, at MAB-FAAP
1966 - Belo Horizonte MG - Belo Horizonte Art Salon
1966 - Campinas SP - Campinas Contemporary Art Salon
1966 - Moscow (Soviet Union, now Russia) - Group Show of Brazilian Artists
1966 - Paris (France) - Brésil Imprévu, organized by Itamaraty
1966 - Salvador BA - 1st National Biennial of Visual Arts
1966 - São Paulo SP - 15th São Paulo Salon of Modern Art, at Galeria Prestes Maia
1966 - Warsaw (Poland) - Group Show of Brazilian Artists
1967 - São Paulo SP - 9th Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, at Fundação Bienal
1968 - Salvador BA - 2nd Bahia Biennial
1969 - Brussels (Belgium) - Group show, at Galeria Isy Brachot
1970 - Madrid (Spain) - Brazilian Naïves
1970 - Paris (France) - Group show, at Galeria Antoinette
1972 - Basel (Switzerland) - Third International Art Fair
1972 - Bratislava (former Czechoslovakia, now Slovakia) - Bratislava Triennial - Best National Collection Prize
1972 - Jaffa (Israel) - Group show
1973 - Denmark - Group show, at Museu de Louisiana
1973 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Group show, at Museu de Belas Artes
1974 - Munich (Germany) - Solo, at Charlotte Galerie Fuer Naive
1975 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Group show, at Museu de Belas Artes
1975 - São Paulo SP - Festival of Colors, at Masp
1976 - Erba (Italy) - Biennale Internazionale Naif
1976 - Montevideo (Uruguay) - 1st Encuentro Uruguayo-Brasileño de Arte Naif
1978 - Florida (United States) - Group show, at Grinter Gallery na University of Florida
1979 - London (England) - Exhibition, at Hamiltons Fine Art Gallery
1980 - Atami (Japan) - Brazil-Japan Salon
1980 - Brussels (Belgium) - Group show, at Galeria Dierickx
1980 - Nice (France) - Group show, at Musée International d'Art Naif Anatole Jakovsky
1981 - Jacareí SP - Jacareí Salon
1981 - São Bernardo do Campo SP - Exhibition, at Pinacoteca de São Bernardo do Campo
1981 - São Paulo SP - 2nd São Paulo Salon of Plastic and Visual Arts, at Paço das Artes
1981 - Tokyo (Japan) - Brazil-Japan Salon
1982 - Naples (Italy) - Mito e Magia del Colore
1982 - Nice (France) - Group show, at Musée International d'Art Naif Anatole Jakovsky
1982 - Paris (France) - Le Genie de Naifs, at Grand Palais
1982 - São Paulo SP - 3rd São Paulo Salon of Plastic and Visual Arts
1983 - Santo André SP - Art Salon of the Tênis Clube de Santo André
1983 - São Paulo SP - Rereading Project, at Pinacoteca do Estado
1984 - Bologna (Italy) - L'Arte Popolares Sudamericana - Circolo Sardegna
1984 - São Paulo SP - Art in the Street
1985 - São Paulo SP - 18th Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, at Fundação Bienal
1986 - Campinas SP - 25 Years of Painting, at MACC
1986 - São Paulo SP - Zumbi Project of the 4th Biennial
1988 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - The Fascinating World of Naïve Painters, at Paço Imperial
1988 - São Paulo SP - Brazilian Art, at Pinacoteca do Estado
1988 - São Paulo SP - Brasiliana: Man and the Land, at Pinacoteca do Estado
1988 - São Paulo SP - Afro-Brazilian Hand, at MAM/SP
1994 - Piracicaba SP - 2nd Brazilian Biennial of Naïve Art, at Sesc
1995 - Osasco SP - 2nd Art Exhibition, at Centro Universitário Fieo
1995 - São Paulo SP - Contact, at Sesc Pompéia
1995 - São Paulo SP - Contact Project, at Galeria Sesc Paulista
1996 - São Paulo SP - The World of Mário Schenberg, at Casa das Rosas
1997 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Air: Exhibition of Visual Arts, Toys, Objects and Models, at Paço Imperial
1998 - Assis SP - On the Paths of the University
1998 - Franca SP - On the Paths of the University
1998 - Marília SP - On the Paths of the University
1998 - Presidente Prudente SP - On the Paths of the University
1998 - Rio Claro SP - On the Paths of the University
1998 - São José dos Campos SP - On the Paths of the University
2000 - Piracicaba SP - 5th Bienal Naifs do Brasil
2000 - São Paulo SP - Brasil + 500 Mostra do Redescobrimento, at Fundação Bienal
2002 - Piracicaba SP - 6th Bienal Naifs do Brasil, at Sesc
2002 - São Paulo SP - Pop Brasil: Folk Art and the Popular in Art, at CCBB
2002 - São Paulo SP - Holy Naivety, at Unifieo
2004 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Tudo é Brasil, at Paço Imperial
2004 - São Paulo SP - Naïve Art, at Galeria Jacques Ardies
2004 - São Paulo SP - New Acquisitions: 1995 - 2003, at MAB-FAAP
2004 - São Paulo SP - Tudo é Brasil, at Itaú Cultural
2005 - Brasília DF - Encounters and Reunions in Naïve Art: Brazil-Haiti, at CCBB
2005 - São Paulo SP - Encounters and Reunions in Naïve Art: Brazil-Haiti, at MAB-FAAP
Source: Itaú Cultural
