Raymundo Colares

Raymundo Felicíssimo Colares, born in Grão Mogol, Minas Gerais, in 1944, emerged as one of the most innovative Brazilian artists of the 20th century. In 1966, he began his studies at the School of Fine Arts of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (EBA/UFRJ), where he formed friendships with renowned artists Antonio Manuel and Hélio Oiticica. The following year, Colares left EBA to attend the free studio of Ivan Serpa at the Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro (MAM/RJ). During this period, he participated in the emblematic exhibition Nova Objetividade Brasileira, invited by Antonio Dias.

From 1968 onwards, Colares began producing his famous "gibis" - book-objects that invited viewers to handle their colorful, folded pages. In 1969, he presented his first three-dimensional works in painted aluminum. That same year, he taught at the Free Studio of MAM/RJ, solidifying his influence as an educator.

In 1970, Colares received the award for an overseas trip from the National Salon of Modern Art (SNAM), allowing him to expand his artistic horizons in New York, Trento, and Milan. Upon returning to Brazil, he moved to Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, where he lived until 1981, when he settled in Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro.

In 1983, the Saramenha and Paulo Klabin galleries in Rio de Janeiro organized a retrospective exhibition of his work, recognizing his significant contribution to Brazilian art. That same year, he returned to teaching at the MAM/RJ studio, continuing to inspire and educate new generations of artists until his death in 1986.

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