Miguel dos Santos b. 1944

Miguel dos Santos was born in Caruaru, PE, and, since 1960, has been living in João Pessoa, PB, where he established his studio. A self-taught artist, since the beginning of his production he has explored different languages such as painting, ceramics, and sculpture in marble and wood, combined with references from the popular culture of the Northeast, the mythologies of the original peoples of the Americas, and the Yoruba art brought by the people of Africa. Along with Ariano Suassuna and Francisco Brennand, he was part of the Armorial Movement, launched in Recife in 1970. Figures like Aleijadinho and Mestre Vitalino also widely influence his production. The artist continues in full activity and unfolding his research, which remains cohesive.

Ariano Suassuna comments, in the 1980s, on elements that stand out in his work: “As you can see from Miguel dos Santos’ work, the main difference between us current writers and artists of the Northeast - and the previous ones - what characterizes and distinguishes us most, is the connection with magical Realism - not surrealism. (...) Miguel dos Santos' painting is something that excites me, populating his oil paintings, or ceramics, with strange beasts: dragons, metamorphoses, possessed dogs, saints, myths and demons – a work so closely linked to the Romanceiro and for this very reason so expressive of the tragically fatalistic, cruelly joyful and mythically true vision that the people have of reality.”

In 1977, Miguel dos Santos was among the Brazilian artists selected for the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, FESTAC '77, in Lagos, Nigeria, in which other prominent figures, such as Emanoel Araújo, Rubem Valentim, and Gilberto Gil, participated.

In 2009, commissioned by the João Pessoa City Hall, the artist created the sculpture 'A Pedra do Reino', located in Parque Sólon de Lucena, an important landmark of the city. The work is a tribute to Ariano Suassuna and depicts an excerpt from the book of the same name by the writer.

Among his main exhibitions are: Miguel dos Santos, Galeria Bonino, Rio de Janeiro, 1972; Image du Brésil, Manhattan Center, Brussels, 1973; II World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture – FESTAC '77, Lagos, Nigeria, 1977; XIV Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, 1977; Tradição e ruptura – síntese de arte e cultura brasileiras, Fundação Bienal, São Paulo, 1985; The rhythms and forms in contemporary art, Kunsthalle Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, 1989; A ressacralização da arte, SESC Pompeia, 1999; Litoplasma, Galeria Gamela, João Pessoa, 2003; Arte do Brasil no século 20, Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand - MASP, São Paulo, 2020; Movimento Armorial - 50 Anos, CCBB CCBB Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Brasília, 2022.

His works are part of the collections of several museums, such as: Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil – CCBB Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Centro Cultural Benfica – UFPE, Recife, Brazil; FAMA Museu – Fábrica de Arte Marcos Amaro, Itu, São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto Bardi | Casa de Vidro, São Paulo, Brazil; Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand – MASP, São Paulo, Brazil; Museu Casa de Cultura Hermano José, João Pessoa, Brazil; Museu Janete Costa de Arte Popular, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Sítio Roberto Burle Marx – IPHAN, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.