Mozart Guerra

Mozart Guerra, born in 1962 in Recife, Brazil, is a sculptor whose work bridges the worlds of architecture, theater, and contemporary art. After studying architecture at the Federal University of Pernambuco, where he graduated in 1986, Guerra applied his deep understanding of space and form to set design for theater, carnival, television, and cinema. During this period, his passion for sculpture began to flourish, drawing inspiration from the techniques and materials used in theatrical workshops.

In 1992, Guerra relocated to Paris, where he fully immersed himself in his sculptural practice. His early works, influenced by the voluptuous forms of Colombian artist Fernando Botero and the vibrant creations of Niki de Saint Phalle, featured resin sculptures of exaggerated, busty women and whimsical, burlesque characters. These playful, colorful creations—often featuring strange and surreal animals—earned him both artistic and commercial recognition.

At the turn of the 2000s, Guerra’s artistic approach evolved. While his use of color remained vivid, his forms became more refined, and he adopted a unique new technique. Using materials like polystyrene, resin, and foam, he began to create sculptures wrapped meticulously in colored ropes, applied line by line to the surface. This technique transformed his work, introducing a new layer of texture and depth. His subjects also shifted, with heads and bodies of animals, humans, and mythological figures emerging from this novel process. Guerra’s highly realistic sculptures—rams, deer, giraffes, bears, and more—are presented as modern-day hunting trophies, transformed into colorful, surreal topographies reminiscent of a naturalist's cabinet of curiosities.

The use of tightly wound cords gives his sculptures a striking second skin, highlighting some shapes while blending others, creating a mesmerizing interplay of form and texture. His works blur the lines between naturalism and fantasy, presenting characters that straddle the boundary between human and animal, reality and imagination.

Mozart Guerra’s sculptures have been exhibited and sold at galleries and contemporary art fairs across the globe, including in France, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Colombia, the USA, and many other countries. His unique technique, vibrant color palette, and fantastical subject matter have made him a highly sought-after artist in the international contemporary art scene.