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Artist: Chico Tabibuia ( Brazil, 1936 - present ) -
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Genres: Outsider Art
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Biography: An illiterate grandson of slaves, Chico Tabibuia was born in Rio de Janeiro State in 1936. He has worked as a wood sculptor since he was 18. In his works, his African ancestry evidently predominates. His involvement with wood appears to be atavistic in that it reiterates the expressionism of Central and West African woodcarving traditions, along with their articulations of phallic and erotic imagery. The inspiration for Tabibuia’s works comes in the form of dreams dictated by God and spirits after which he works in seclusion until they are executed. The African spirit he most frequently sculpts is the ubiquitous Exu in his many forms and manifestations, the ever-present trickster and guardian of crossroads and thresholds. Tabibuia, who long ago joined a Protestant sect, explains that in his dreams he is instructed to sculpt avatars of Exu in order to trap his spirit in wood and thereby “render him harmless.” The Exus are thus neutralized, imprisoned in sculpture. This is reminiscent of the Kongo practice of sacred carving to trap evil. The sculptures Tabibuia has produced in the past four decades are particularly remarkable considering that he is illiterate and has never been exposed to art works or other artists. His pieces vary from one to 20 feet in height. Chico Tabibuia’s works are widely collected in Brazil and are included in several important museum collections and featured in various art publications and exhibition catalogs.
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Exhibition History: Chico Tabibuia’s works are widely collected in Brazil and are included in several important museum collections and featured in various art publications and exhibition catalogs.
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