Roxinha Lisboa's Artistic Journey from Rural Alagoas to National Recognition

Roxinha Lisboa, a self-taught artist born in 1953 in Lagoa de Pedra, Pão de Açúcar, Alagoas, began drawing at age 59 after working in agriculture and street sweeping. She creates humorous paintings featuring everyday scenes and handwritten phrases, often depicting a recurring character named Ozada. Her artistic practice developed alongside her husband Domingos (nicknamed Binga), who makes wooden sculptures. Roxinha's work gained visibility through connections with Ilha do Ferro, a riverside village in Alagoas known for its high concentration of artists. In 2023, she held her first solo exhibition at Museu do Pontal in Rio de Janeiro, followed by a 2025 show at CAIXA Cultural in Recife. Her career was significantly influenced by André Dantas, owner of O Macumba bar in Ilha do Ferro, who encouraged her to incorporate text into her paintings and curated her Rio exhibition. The broader artistic community in the region includes figures like Gonçalves (known for celebrity portraits), Marquinhos (a former metalworker creating imaginative sculptures), and Petrônio (who produces ex-votos and stick figures). These artists operate in a collaborative environment where approximately 100 creators live among 500 residents in Ilha do Ferro, with many maintaining open studios in their homes. The area's artistic development has been supported by cultural mediators including photographer Celso Brandão and museologist Carmen Lúcia Dantas.