Adilson Santos

Brazilian artist born in 1944, Poções, Bahia.

Self-taught, he began his career as a teenager at the age of 17 in Vitória da Conquista, where he held his first exhibitions. He was soon recognised by important figures in the Bahian cultural scene, such as the writer Jorge Amado, who, since learning about the artist's work, was able to appreciate him. A few years later he was already circulating and standing out in the cultural scene of Salvador, where several individual exhibitions took place.

His career took off in the 1970s, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, taking Santos to national and international prominence. Proof of this is the number of the artist's canvases spread across the world. France, Germany, Italy and the United States are just some of the countries that hold part of the painter's collection.

Adilson's work evokes surrealism and its main objects are elements of nature and the female figure. The perfect technique generates work based not only on drawing, but, above all, on emotion. His paintings invite and guide the viewer to appreciate the characters portrayed on the screen through observant expressions enhanced by an air of romanticism.

Artworks in collections:
Freddie Mercury Private collection, sold by Sotheby’s Auction House in 2023.

Some Exhibitions:
1966- Participates in the Commerce Industry Fair in Salvador, BA;
1967- Participates in the first Bahian Tourist Poster Competition;
1970/1975- Holds several individual exhibitions in the city of Rio de Janeiro;
1974- Collective exhibition at the American Consulate, Rio de Janeiro;
1980- Collective exhibition in Hannover, Germany;
1982- Collective exhibition in Montreal, Canada;
1990-2000- Participates in national group exhibitions;
2006- Solo Exhibition, Banco de Arte Gallery, Shopping D&D WTC