Born in 1934 in Arapiranga, Bahia state, Juarez Paraíso lives in Salvador. In this first interview he gives PIPA, the artist talks about the history of Brazilian art and the particularities of making art in Bahia, censorship, and how he deals with sex in his works as a way of establishing a relationship with his freedom. “When I put my fingers it’s not a heresy or any such thing. But if I put my penis, I’m immediately attacking everyone and everything. So I did, for example, a work in which fingers become penises.”
The artist, who is also a professor, works with engraving, painting, sculpture and digital art. He tells us about media diversity: “I found a lot of opposition for a long time, ‘Juarez does everything’. Yes but I do it all in an honest way.”
Watch the interview:
Annually, artists who take part in PIPA Prize are invited to record an exclusive video-interview. With them, we learn more about the artists, their careers, ideas and motivations. All the interviews are produced by Matrioska Filmes.
To watch other videos, click here.