Júlio Martins [Júlio Martins da Silva]
1893, Icaraí - RJ | 1978, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil
Júlio Martins da Silva (1893, Icaraí - RJ – 1978, Rio de Janeiro - RJ) emerges as a singular figure in Brazilian folk art, a visual storyteller whose works capture scenes of daily life and collective memory. Deeply rooted in Rio de Janeiro’s urban experience, his work is marked by an authenticity that transcends academic techniques, opening space for a spontaneous dialogue with Brazilian popular culture.
As documented in Pequeno Dicionário do Povo Brasileiro, Século XX by Lélia Coelho Frota and the 1978-1979 documentary “O que eu estou vendo vocês não podem ver” directed by Carlos Augusto Calil, Júlio Martins da Silva’s paintings reflect an aesthetic that synthesizes the simplicity and complexity of Rio de Janeiro’s social dynamics in the 20th century. His works can be seen as pictorial chronicles, imbued with a visual lyricism that evokes the life of streets, markets, popular festivals, and religious manifestations. More than mere representations, his paintings serve as testimonies of an era, capturing Brazil’s urban, cultural, and social transformations.
The absence of formal artistic training did not limit Júlio Martins da Silva’s work. On the contrary, it amplified an intuitive expressiveness directly connected to lived experiences and oral traditions. As Lélia Coelho Frota highlights, his work eloquently demonstrates the power of folk art as a vehicle for preserving and reinterpreting history and national identity.
With his unique perspective and rare ability to capture the spirit of his time, Júlio Martins da Silva remains a fundamental reference for understanding Brazilian folk art. His works, rich in meaning, transcend exhibition spaces, conveying stories that continue to resonate within contemporary Brazilian culture.
Solo Exhibitions:
2012 A gift-wrapped world. Júlio Martins da Silva | paintings, Galeria Estação, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
1984 Júlio Martins da Silva paintings, Art Gallery of The Brazilian-American Cultural Institute, Washington - D.C., USA
1973 Solo Exhibition, Galeria Intercontinental, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil
1973 Solo Exhibition, MHN - Museu Histórico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil
1969 Solo Exhibition, Galeria Escada, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil
Collective Exhibitions:
2025 Instituto Tomie Ohtake visits Vilma Eid Collection - In every corner, Instituto Tomie Ohtake, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2024 Metamorphoses e Distances, Galeria Estação, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2024 East of Eden, Galeria Estação & Galeria Milan, São Paulo – SP, Brazil
2023 “Reverses and Transverses: artists beyond boundaries (and friends) at the biennials”, Galeria Estação, São Paulo – SP, Brazil
2019 Nossos Naifs Brasileiros, Evandro Carneiro Arte, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil
2016 Entre Olhares d’alma brasileira, Museu Afro Brasil Emanoel Araújo, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2010 Arte Naif – Com açúcar e com afeto, Centro Cultural Professor Daud Jorge Simão, São José do Rio Preto - SP, Brazil
2010 Pavilhão das Culturas Brasileiras: Puras Misturas, Pavilhão de Culturas Brasileiras, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2006 Viva Cultura Viva do Povo Brasileiro, Museu Afro Brasil Emanoel Araújo, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2002 Pop Brasil: a arte popular e o popular na arte, CCBB - Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2000 Brasil + 500 Mostra do Redescobrimento. Arte Popular, Fundação Bienal, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
1988 O Mundo Fascinante dos Pintores Naïfs, no Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil
1982 Futebol: interpretações, Galeria de Arte Banerj, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil
Public Collections:
Museu Afro Brasil Emanoel Araújo, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
Selected Publications:
2024 Metamorphoses e Distances, Galeria Estação, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2024 East of Eden, Galeria Estação & Galeria Milan, São Paulo – SP, Brazil
2023 “Reverses and Transverses: artists beyond boundaries (and friends) at the biennials”, Galeria Estação, São Paulo – SP, Brazil
2018 Arte popular brasileira: olhares contemporâneos, Publisher WMF Martins Fontes, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2012 A gift-wrapped world. Júlio Martins da Silva | paintings, Paulo Pasta and Vilma Eid, Lis Gráfica, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2007 Viva a Cultura Viva do Povo Brasileiro, Museu Afro Brasil Emanoel Araújo, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2002 Pop Brasil: a arte popular e o popular na arte, CCBB - Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
2000 Mostra do Redescobrimento - Brasil 500 anos | Arte Popular, Takano Editora, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
1988 A mão Afro-Brasileira: Significado da Contribuição Artística e Histórica, Fundação Emílio Odebrecht, São Paulo - SP, Brazil
1978 Mitopoéticas de 9 artistas brasileiros, autora Leila Coelho Frota, editora Funarte, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil
