Heberth Sobral

1984 Muriaé/MG, Brazil
Lives and works in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Heberth Sobral’s profound love for the visual arts has been a driving force in his life, leading him to become an artist who fearlessly delves into controversial and social themes of daily life. His artistic journey began with a photography course, a stepping stone that allowed him to work as an assistant to the renowned Vik Muniz.

Heberth Sobral, in his quest to create a unique artistic language, embarks on projects that span a variety of media, including azulejos, paintings, drawings, banknotes, and figurines. His work is a reflection of daily memories, addressing themes such as behavior, thoughts, and actions within a culture. The artist’s aim is to draw the viewer into his work by evoking memories that are part of everyone’s life.

The economist and collector Luiz Chrysostomo writes: Heberth defines his artistic lexicon through playful elements, using toys such as Playmobil figures and Lego pieces to build metaphors, create narratives, and deconstruct myths, subtly touching on the discomforts of contemporary society. By highlighting four parts of industrially produced figures—mouth, eyes, hair, and arms—Heberth reinterprets signs as if they were ancestral dialects. Restless and innovative, the artist seeks to record and disseminate his daily life, absorbing the reality around him and giving life to what seemingly does not exist, flirting with dystopias without fear of excesses. With an innate humor, as described by the psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, the artist explores creation and overcomes adversities, using play as a way to find and express his identity.

Heberth has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Brazil, Europe, and Japan throughout his career.

His works have been acquired by institutions such as the Afro Museum, São Paulo, SP; Chácara do Céu Museum, Rio de Janeiro, RJ; National Museum of Fine Arts, Rio de Janeiro, RJ; Murilo Mendes Art Museum, Juiz de Fora, MG; National Library, Rio de Janeiro, RJ; Ariana Museum, Geneva, Switzerland; and private collections in Brazil and Europe.