Sonia Gomes

Sonia Gomes is a contemporary artist who gained recognition for captivating mixed media sculptures, which come to life through the intricate combination of fabric, wires, and assorted objects.

Biography of Sonia Gomes

Sonia Gomes was born in 1948 in Caetanópolis, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

In 1994, at the age of 45, Sonia Gomes shifted her focus entirely to the realm of art, embarking on a new path after a career in law. She enrolled at the Guignard School of Art in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, dedicating herself fully to her artistic journey.

Sonia Gomes has showcased her art in various solo exhibitions, including "Sonia Gomes: O mais profundo é a pele (Skin is the deepest part)" at Pace Gallery, New York (2022); "When the Sun Rises in Blue" at Blum & Poe, Los Angeles (2021); "I Rise – I’m a Black Ocean, Leaping and Wide" at Museum Frieder Burda and Salon Berlin, Baden-Baden/Berlin (2019); "Silence of Color" at Mendes Wood DM, Brussels (2019); "Still I Rise" at MASP – Museu de Arte de São Paulo / Casa de Vidro, São Paulo (2018); and "A Vida Renasce, Sempre" at Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro (2018).

Currently, the artist lives and works in São Paulo, Brazil.

Sonia Gomes' Art Style

Sonia Gomes assembles her sculptures using recycled and everyday materials. She combines preloved textiles with commonplace elements such as driftwood, wire, and furniture, resulting in the creation of abstract sculptures. An illustration of her creative process can be seen in 'Correnteza' (2018), a piece in which Gomes ingeniously merged found driftwood with fabric forms meticulously stitched onto the wood's surface.

By incorporating donated and secondhand items into her work, Gomes draws inspiration from her decolonial perspective. Her approach not only reflects Brazil's rapid and uneven industrial advancement but also serves as a poignant commentary on the nation's culture of excessive consumption and environmental degradation.