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The Brazilian artist Leonilson can be counted among the pioneering Latin American artists of his time. His multi-faceted oeuvre ranges from gestural, colorful paintings and drawings to cross-media installations and introspective embroideries. He was mainly recognized for the poetic power of his works, which are characterized by a turn toward subjectivity and an emphasis on emotion and inwardness. After a diagnosis of HIV in 1991, Leonilson’s artistic visual language changed significantly: his confrontation with death shaped the diary-like pieces of his last years, and he reduced the visual motifs of his embroideries to a few abstract forms and text elements. Leonilson left behind around 4,000 works. Drawn 1975–1993 is the first comprehensive European retrospective of Leonilson’s work and assembles more than 250 works produced in this time period.

LEONILSON (1957–1993, Brazil) was interested in art early on. From 1978 to 1981 he studied fine arts in São Paulo, but left the university before graduating in order to dedicate himself entirely to his work. His paintings, drawings, and embroideries have been exhibited worldwide in solo and group shows, and many of them can be found in important institutional and private collections.

Leonilson, José --- Art