Collection: Irley de Jesus, visual artist

Irley de Jesus Leal, born in 1970, is a self-taught visual artist who lives and works in Teixeira de Freitas, in the far south of Bahia, Brazil. From an early age, he showed a talent for hyperrealistic drawing, which drew the attention of his teachers. At the age of 12, he discovered his passion for art and, without access to specialized schools, developed his techniques independently at home, working with various materials such as tempera, oil, fabric, and ceramics. He became a natural researcher in the visual arts, using his artistic production as a means of expression, recognition, and connection with the world.

His career includes exhibitions in Brazil and abroad, with shows in countries such as Mexico, Spain, China, South Korea, England, the United States, Japan, and France. He has participated in numerous cultural projects and has also worked as an art curator. His work is characterized by a hyperrealistic style and a continuous pursuit of innovation in techniques and materials.

Irley  began gaining recognition in 1995 with an Honorable Mention at UNEB, Bahia. In 2004, he exhibited at the Galeria La Gioconda in Mexico City, and in 2006, at the Casa do Brasil in Madrid, Spain. In Brazil, he stood out in events such as the Anuário de Artes Plásticas (Salvador), Salão Arte Mosaica (Juiz de Fora), and several editions of CASA COR (RS, Paraíba, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Paraná).

Internationally, he exhibited in major spaces like Neuberg Art Space (Hong Kong), the UNESCO World Conference (Seoul), ILAS (London), Castillo Theatre (New York), Big-1 Art Project Award (Osaka), and Galerie Namast'ART (France). Between 2007 and the present, he has developed the "Série Retratos," depicting people from Teixeira de Freitas and other regions of Brazil. He has also served as a curator for events such as the Bahia Visual Arts Salon (2013) and the Parauapebas Arts Festival (2015).