Tell us about your first exposure to the arts
I was 12 and I saw graffiti in the streets of Brazil and realized my dream was to create. As I got older, I was started working in Brazil with my family, we owned an interior design company and I was always working, creating beautiful homes and restaurants and I really liked it. It came naturally to me and I knew I wanted to be an artist. The art scene in Brazil is big. I’m kind of famous there, haha. My art always sells in Brazil, and they know me. I moved to NYC 4 yeas ago and now I’m trying to fulfill my dreams and show my work here and be just as successful.

 

Who has influenced you the most
Artists influence me! I’m striving to show people who has influenced me. Like Basquait, I use a lot of colors, Caravaggio and religion I try to incorporate that and Picasso and his faces which you can see in my work.

 

What inspires you?
A few things. One is when I’m painting I always think how the piece is going to look in a certain place. I love architecture and envisioning where a painting will hang. The other thing is people. I love people, random people and random faces.

 

Thoughts on the intersection of fashion & art
I love fashion. I studied at FIT and took some courses when I first moved here. Alexander McQueen will always be my favorite though. There aren’t many people that I like in the fashion world and he was one of them. He was cool and I was so inspired by his creativity.

 

What’s next for you
A lot of traveling! Next up is Barcelona, Switzerland and then Art Basel in Miami.

 

How can we follow you
@matheusgoulart_