Laís Amaral

São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1993

            Amaral grew up in a context shaped by the dynamics of race, gender, and urban inequality—forces that have influenced her artistic practice from the very beginning. Largely self-taught, she left her formal studies in social work at the Fluminense Federal University to devote herself to art in 2017, co-founding the Trovoa collective, a space that uplifts the work of Black and marginalized women in Brazil. Her work, which emerges from this collective foundation, becomes a reflection of resistance and memory, proposing a dialogue that transcends aesthetics to connect with the social realities of her community.

            Her artistic practice is deeply rooted in a commitment to social work that extends beyond the canvas, incorporating her experience as a social worker until 2023, where she focused on art and education in Rio de Janeiro. This social background permeates her work, transforming it into an act of community empowerment that challenges cultural and racial hierarchies. Her sculptures—created using a mix of everyday materials like acrylic, spray paint, and found objects—stand as three-dimensional testaments to silenced narratives, exploring textures and forms that evoke both the fragility and strength of those living on the margins. These pieces not only question the divide between art and craft, but also serve as bridges toward collective healing, echoing her work with Trovoa, where art becomes a vehicle for amplifying voices from the peripheries.

            Amaral’s social engagement is reflected in her institutional trajectory, which includes exhibitions at the Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói (2018) and collaborations with institutions such as the Instituto Tomie Ohtake and the Museu de Arte do Rio, where her work has been recognized as a contribution to cultural diversity. Her presence at international fairs such as Frieze New York (2025) and her inclusion in collections like the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in Miami solidify her emergence as a rising artist. Through her practice, Amaral not only challenges the structures of contemporary art but offers a poetic testament to how social work and creativity can intertwine to heal the fractures of a deeply unequal society.