Rubem Valentim, a self-taught artist, commenced his artistic journey in childhood by crafting figures and landscapes for Christmas cribs. Following his graduation in dentistry in 1946, Valentim balanced both his dental practice and his passion for painting. Eventually, in 1948, he made the pivotal decision to abandon dentistry and fully immerse himself in the realm of visual arts. Active in the artistic renewal movement that emerged in Bahia during the 1940s, Valentim later relocated to Rio de Janeiro in 1957.
In 1962, he earned a foreign travel grant from the XIth National Salon of Modern Art, embarking on a three-year exploration of Europe before settling in Rome. There, he dedicated himself to his artistic endeavors, showcasing his work through exhibitions. Returning to Brazil in 1966, Valentim accepted an invitation from the Central Art Institute of the University of Brasilia. He was honored with an award recognizing his significant “Contribution to Brazilian Painting.”
Public Collections
Museu Afro Brasil Emanoel Araújo, Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo (MAM SP), Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand (MASP), Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Galeria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna di Roma and Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA)
