International contemporary art platform01.03.1957–28.05.1993
José Leonilson
José Leonilson Bezerra Dias, known as Leonilson, was a Brazilian artist working in painting, drawing, and textile art. Born in Fortaleza in 1957, he created conceptual works exploring love and grief through a queer perspective. He died in São Paulo in 1993.
Biography
José Leonilson Bezerra Dias, better known as Leonilson, was born on March 1, 1957, in Fortaleza, Brazil. He was an artist, draftsman, and textile craftsman who combined two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms in his work. Leonilson lived and worked primarily in Brazil, creating conceptual artworks that expressed themes of love and grief through a queer perspective. His artistic legacy encompasses painting, graphic art, and textile art. In 1991, he was diagnosed with HIV (AIDS), and he passed away on May 28, 1993, in São Paulo. Leonilson's work continues to influence contemporary art both within Brazil and internationally.
Profile notes