SYLVIA MARTINS

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Sylvia Martins graduated in Visual Communications in Rio de Janeiro. In 1979 she moved to New York to study at the School of Visual Arts and with Richard Pousette-Dart at the Art Students League. He encouraged her to further explore the possibilities of personal and spiritual direction in her creative development. Her paintings and drawings are near abstractions that evoke images from nature and organic forms and are heavily informed by travel, ethnic designs, and rituals.

Martins' work can be found in numerous public and private collections throughout South America, Europe, Asia and the United States. She currently lives and works between New York City and Rio de Janeiro.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS 

2020 "Burma," Leonard Tourne Gallery, New York, NY
2018 "Sylvia Martins" Book Launch, Edelman Arts, New York, USA
2013 "Alter/Nativas" Paralelo Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
2010 Largo das Artes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2010 A.R.C. Fine Art LLC, CT , USA
2009 AFP Galleries, New York, USA
2008 Galeria Monica Filgueiras, São Paulo, Brazil
2008 LGC Arte Contemporânea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2007 Solange Rabello Art Gallery, Miami, USA
2006 AFP Galleries, New York, USA
2004 Centro Cultural Correios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2004 Museu de Arte Moderna de Bahia, Salvador, Bahia
2002 Anita Schwartz Galeria, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2001 Exhibit A, New York, USA
2001 Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1998 Iturralde Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
1997 Galeria Joel Edelstein, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1995 Cynthia Bourne Gallery, London, UK
1995 Centro Cultural Candido Mendes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1992 "Works on Paper," Stubbs Books & Prints, New York, USA
1992  MOMA Contemporary, Fukuoka, Japan
1991 Charles Cowles Gallery, New York, USA
1990 Trabia Gallery, New York, USA
1989 Fahey/Klein Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
1988 GB Arte, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1988 Bolsa de Arte, Porto Alegre, Brazil
1987 Piezo Electric, Venice, CA, USA

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2020 "Condividere - Memories from the Lockdown," Curated by Paola Gribaudo, Book Launch and Discussion, Accademia Albertina di Belle Arti Torino, Torino, Italy
2019 Leonard Tourné Gallery, New York, USA
2019 "Salvar Vidas," AZ Galeria, Bagé, Brazil
2018 Leonard Tourné Gallery, New York, USA
2017 Leonard Tourné Gallery, New York, USA
2017 "Love Among the Ruins," Howl! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project, New York, USA
2017 "Summer Exhibition," Galerie Espace_L, Geneva, Switzerland
2015 "Elles," Galerie Espace_L, Geneva, Switzerland
2013 PARTE, Paralelo Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil
2012 Panorama Terra, Centro Cultural Brasil Argentina, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2011 LGC Arte Contemporânea, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2008 "Auto Retrato do Brasil," Paço Imperial, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2000 Anita Schwartz Galeria, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1995 "The Beauty Salon," Barbara Braathen Gallery, New York, USA
1994 "America," Museu de Arte de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
1994 "Eco-Art," Le Toit de la Grande Arche, Paris, France
1992 Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, Colorado, USA
1992 Charas/El Bohio, New York, USA
1992 Galeria Carla Sozzani, Milan, Italy 
1991 "Eco-Art 92," Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1991 "Sacred Spaces," Chelsea Center, Muttontown, New York, USA
1990 "Pools," Norton Gallery of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
1990 "Abstraction in Balance", Real Art Gallery, New York, USA
1990 "Pools," Art Moderne Gallery, Moscow, USSR.
1990 "Pools," Modus Videndi, Zurich, Switzerland.
1989 BACI, Brazilian American Cultural Institute, Washington DC, USA
1989 "Don't Bungle the Jungle!" Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York, USA
1988 Soho Center for the Visual Arts, New York, USA
1988 Jack Tilton Gallery, New York, USA
1985 Subdistrito Comercial de Arte, São Paulo, Brazil

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

The ArtColltrust (Seattle, USA)
Centro Cultural Correios, (Brazil)
Centro Cultural Candido Mendes (Brazil)
JP Morgan Chase (USA)
JP Morgan Chase (Brazil)
Moritomo (Japan)
Swatch Group (Switzerland)
Citibank (USA)
Banco Bozzano Simonsen (Brazil)

EDUCATION

The Art Students League of New York
School of Visual Arts
University of Rio de Janeiro

SELECT PRESS

"Art that Feels," Revista LIV, Belém, Brazil, April 18, 2019, p.68 - 74
"Images of Sylvia Martins," Jornal do Brasil website, August 17, 2018
"What Blooms Inside," Aishti Magazine, October / November 2013 p.198-199
GOWHERE, Rio de Janeiro, May 2012
Revista ÉPOCA, Rio de Janeiro, June 18 2012
Jornal do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, June 10 2012
Folha de São Paulo, Revista Serafina, March 29, 2009
"Suspended Gardens," Veja Rio, Rio de Janeiro, April 2008
Casa Vogue, Rio de Janeiro, April 2008
"The Brazilians," New York, March 2005  
"Rio Show," O Globo, Rio de Janeiro, May 28, 2004
Marie Claire, Rio de Janeiro, April 2004
Vizoo Magazine, Rio de Janeiro, May - June 2004
"Variations on a Theme," Veja, Rio de Janeiro, May 29, 2002,  p.30
Tribuna da Imprensa, Rio de Janeiro, May 25, 2002, p.3
"Flores e cores na veia," Veja, Rio de Janeiro, March 14, 2001 p.34
"O refúgio na arte," Isto é (Brazil), January 15, 2001 p.76
Revista Programa, Jornal do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, March 16-22,  2001 p.33 
Historic House, London, Spring 1999
The Express, London, February 18, 1999
Eurostar, n.33, February 1999, p.47
The Mayfair Times, London, February 1999
Collectors Guide, London, February 1999
The London Magazine, London, February,1999 p.172
Elle Brasil, November 1995
Jornal do Commercio, Rio de Janeiro, November 1995
"Citizen Sylvia," Vida (Portugal), November 26, 1993, p.20-21 
"The Mystical Art of Sylvia Martins," A Tarde, Bahia, July 9, 1992
"Sylvia Martins," Ventura (Brazil) June-August 1992
Hakata Koma, Fukuoka, Japan, May 1992, p.58 
Fukuoka Press, Fukuoka, Japan, May 1992
Vivre, Fukuoka, Japan, April 18 - May 10 1992, p. 111
Vogue Brasil, October 1991
AD (Brasil), January 1991
The New York Observer, New York, September 24, 1990, p.3
"Sylvia Martins," Arts Magazine, Summer 1990, p.80
Interview AD (Brazil), May 1990, p.107
The New Yorker, April 2, 1990, p.19  
Clique (Japan), May 1989
Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, January 20, 1989
"Ten Latino Artists," Arts Magazine, October 1988, p.103