Helena Coelho Naïf Painter

Helena Coelho
Naïf Painter

.Portuguese.

She was born in Rio de Janeiro from a poor family, the oldest of three brothers. Her father passed away when she was seven and she was raised by an aunt who worked as a dressmaker.
Since she was a little kid, she had to be criative to make some money: she would write and perform plays for kids behind the bed sheets hanging on the backyard using puppets she manufactured herself with papier maché. She would charge for the "tickets". She also re-sold newspapers, magazines and books, besides polishing shoes in the neighborhood...
As a day-dreamer and a poet, Helena delights us with her colorful poems, where we can observe all of the sweetness of her soul. Sometimes, they can be translated into some peculiar, yet realistic flashes from her childhood, her adolescence, with an unique ability to transform reality into marvelous images that are very emotional. But, most of the time, she takes us inside her own dreams, touched by the freshness of her inspiration and colors, and by the visionary and oniric whole found in her poetic and sweet painting. Other times, the supernatural atmosphere found in one painting takes us to an enchanted and dazzling world.
Helena's meticulous painting, worthy of Middle Ages' illuminists, is so ingenuous it releases an unique purity. Surely, when working in her studio, she must dip the brush in her heart before painting...

Lucien Finkelstein
President founder of Brazilian International Museum of Naïf Art

CURRICULUM

1996

· Exhibition “Double Nature” at the Fine Arts National Museum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

1998

· Individual exhibition “Colorful Poems” at the Brazilian International Museum of NaïfArt, Rio de Janeiro.

· Group exhibition “Rio–France 98 – Art in the Worldcup” at the Cultural Center of the Brazilian Post Services, Rio de Janeiro.

· Group exhibition “Biennial Brazilian Naïfs” at the SESC Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.

· Work reproduced at the catalog “Biennial Brazilian Naïfs” .

· Work reproduced in telephone card by Telephone Company of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

· A reproduction of one of her painting “Reveillon in Rio de Janeiro” at the post card Rio.Incomparable in Paris, France.

1999

· Group exhibition “Salve Rio de Janeiro” at the Brazilian International Museum of Naïf Art, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

· Group exhibition “Naïf Art” at the Jacques Ardies Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil.

· Group exhibition “Everyday is the indium’s day” at the Brazilian International Museum of Naïf Art, Rio de Janeiro.

· Mentioned at the book “God’s brushes” – Life and work of Waldomiro de Deus, by Oscar D’Ambrosio.

· Work reproduced in telephone card by Telemar – Telephone Company of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

2000

· Group exhibition “A Big Exhibition of the Naïf Art” at the French Alliance Brooklin Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil.

· Group exhibition “7ª National Biennial of Santos” at the Cultural Center Patrícia Galvão, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.

· Group exhibition “Biennial Brazilian Naïfs” at the SESC Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.

· Group exhibition “Folklore, Race’s Miscegenation” at The Brazilian International Museum of Naïf Art, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

· Works reproduced at the catalog “Biennial Brazilian Naïfs”.

· Work reproduced in telephone card, by Telemar – Telephone Company of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

· Works reproduced at the book “Rio de Janeiro Naïf”(Rio de Janeiro as seen by ten naïf painters) by Lucien Finkelstein and Mariza Campos da Paz.2001

· Group exhibition “Rio de Janeiro Naïf ” (Rio de Janeiro as seen by ten naïf painters) at The Brazilian International Museum of Naïf Art, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

· Group exhibition “Brazilians Naïfs” at the Brazil Naïf Gallery, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

· Group exhibition “Water’s Worldwide Day” at The Portuguese Museum of Water (EPAL), Lisboa, Portugal.

· Group exhibition “The Music” at the “Damião de Goes” Room, Brussels, Belgium.

· Group exhibition “Naïf Art” at the Jacques Ardies Gallery, São Paulo, Brazil.

· Some of her paintings acquired by The Brazilian International Museum of Naïf Art, Rio de Janeiro and by naïf art’s collectors in Belgium, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and Uruguay.