Beatriz Milhazes

Beatriz Milhazes is a contemporary Brazilian artist known for her colorful and intricate paintings. Milhazes' work is characterized by using bright colors, bold patterns, and layered compositions, which convey a sense of depth and movement.

In 2012, Beatriz Milhazes gained attention in the art world when her painting "Meu Limão" fetched an impressive price of $2.1 million at a Sotheby's auction in California. This achievement marked a significant milestone in her career, establishing her as the highest-priced living Brazilian artist for an artwork sold at auction.

Biography of Beatriz Milhazes

Beatriz Milhazes was born in 1960 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She studied social communication at Faculdades Integradas Hélio Alonso from 1978 to 1981. Simultaneously, from 1980 to 1982, Milhazes studied at the School of Visual Arts (Escola de Artes Visuais - EAV) of Parque Lage.

From 1986 to 1996, Beatriz Milhazes taught and coordinated activities at the School of Visual Arts in Lage Park (Rio de Janeiro). 

From 1986 to 2001, Beatriz Milhazes created set designs for Companhia Márcia Milhazes Dança Contemporânea performances.

Beatriz Milhazes' art style

Beatriz Milhazes focuses on collage blending her deep knowledge of both Latin American and European artistic traditions. Her art contains Brazilian folk references, apparent in colors and shapes. Milhazes' paintings often incorporate collage elements, such as cut-out shapes and fragments of images, arranging them in a playful and rhythmic manner.

In her artistic practice, Beatriz Milhazes directs her attention toward creating a smooth surface in her artwork. While the thickness of paint remains an intriguing subject, it plays a secondary role in her artistic process and does not define the essence or significance of her work.

The culmination of Beatriz Milhazes' artistic process is manifested in her distinctive form of abstraction, which she has termed "chromatic free geometry." This unique approach represents the synthesis of her diverse techniques and artistic sensibilities. 

Beatriz Milhazes also finds inspiration in the works of several notable female artists, including Sonia Delaunay, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Elizabeth Murray.

Exhibitions of Beatriz Milhazes

Milhazes has had solo and group exhibitions in many museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, US; the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, and the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain in Paris, France.

Artworks of Beatriz Milhazes are in various collections in museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, US; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, US; the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, US; the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid, Spain.