From April 5 to 30, in celebration of the Autism Awareness Month, the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil is holding an art exhibition titled "I Love You, South Korea", featuring 46 works by autistic artists that express their love for the Asian country through their creations.

Curated by Grazi Gadia, founder of the nonprofit organization Eyecontact – Lives Shaped by Autism, the exhibition showcases the works of 11 artists: Arthur de Olinda, Bernardo Yori, Davi Ribeiro, Dudu Memoriza, Gabi Hong, Gabi Hayon, Isa Gomes, Jessye Blue, Júlia Malc, Mary Gomes, and Yo Cruzue. The artworks will be displayed in the library area on the 1st floor of the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil.

Susana Bae, mother of one of the artists and proposer of the exhibition, highlights that "through the creation of artworks with the theme 'South Korea', autistic artists will have the opportunity to indirectly experience Korean culture and expand their artistic expression through the art exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center."

About the artists

Arthur de Olinda

Young, 18 years old artist from Pernambuco, and a level 3 support autistic individual. With abstract paintings of flowers and an intense use of colors, Arthur uses painting as a tool of expression. 

Highlights:

- Outstanding Award at the 2024 Arts Festival, Portugal

- Hour Concours Award at the CINDI 2024 Congress, Natal/RN

- 1st place in the mixed media category at the 2024 Tearteiro Arts Festival, São Paulo/SP

- 2nd place in the mixed media category at the 2024 Brazuca Brasil e EUA Contest

- 3rd place in the canvas painting category at the 2024 Brazuca Brasil e EUA Contest           

Instagram: @arthurzinhorique

Bernardo Yori

Born in Ipatinga in 2012 and diagnosed with ASD in 2014, Bernardo has won three national drawing contests on Instagram by popular voting, securing his first victory at the age of five. In 2024, he designed a T-shirt for Mustela in partnership with Cog Life Arts and also created the Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter collections for the brand in the same year. 

Highlights:

- 2nd place in the drawing category at the 2023 Tearteiro International Seminar Arts Festival, São Paulo

- Winner of the "Creativity" award at the Third Sagrado EyeContact Arts Festival, Miami 2023, curated by Grazia Gadia

- Winner of the "Creativity" award at the 2024 Tearteiro International Seminar Arts Festival, São Paulo           

Instagram: @bernardoyori

Davi Ribeiro

Davi Ribeiro Machado is 15 years old and lives in Sorocaba (SP). He is a level 3 support autistic artist with congenital bilateral deafness and underwent cochlear implant surgery in his second year of life, using this technology to be able to hear. He has loved arts since childhood, enjoys listening to classical music, and is a fan of tenor Andrea Bocelli.

Highlights: 

- 2nd place in the hand-drawing category at the Autism and Arts Congress in Portugal

- Awarded in the creativity category at the EyeContact Le Blue For Neurodivergent People Arts Festival

- 1st and 2nd place at the III Tearteiro International Seminar on Autism and Arts in 2024

Dudu Memoriza

Dudu is an artist, albino, with low vision, and autistic. His hyperfocus is architecture, and despite the challenges, he is a detailed and very talented artist. The artist has become an icon of art and autism and is frequently invited for interviews. In 2023, he held two solo exhibitions, one of which took place at a subway station in São Paulo. Dudu has already designed various T-shirts of Cog Life Arts between 2021 and 2023.

Highlights:

- 2nd place at the EyeContact Arts Festival

- Interviewed by Antena Paulista (Globo) in a report about the artist's hyperfocus on mansions and his low vision

- Lecture at Santa Casa de São Paulo about albinism and autism

- Designed drawstring backpacks with 3 prints of "Wizard of Oz" for students of the Alegresse Musical Theatre School

- Created and produced T-shirts for staff and guests of the Refúgio da Vila Inn in Praia do Forte, Bahia           

Instagram: @dudumemoriza

Gabi Hong

From São Paulo and of South Korean descent, Gabriela Hong is 21 years old and in her second year of high school. The artist is a level 2 support autistic and has a talent for languages, as well as an interest in theater, music, and art. Gabi draws in her free time as a form of expression and self-regulation, having started in the art world two years ago.

Highlights:

- Spirit Festival Medal at the 2024 Miami Congress

- 1st place at the 2024 Portugal Congress

- 3rd place at the 2024 CINDI Congress, Natal/RN

- 1st place at the 2024 Tearteiro Seminar           

Instagram: @mundodagabi_aut

Gabriela Hayon

She is a 10-year-old young girl who lives in Rio de Janeiro and is in her 5th year of elementary school. She is level 1 autistic and has a passion for the arts, especially canvas painting. Gabriela began her studies in 2024 under the curation of visual artist Grazi Gadia.

Highlights:

- Awarded at the 2024 Brazuca Arts Festival           

Instagram: @gabihappyon

Isa Gomes

Isabella Gomes is 15 years old, lives in São Paulo, and is in her first year of high school. She is level 1 autistic and loves singing, voice acting, and drawing, having participated in musical theater performances. This is the artist's second participation in an art exhibition.

Highlights:

- Participated in the Brazuca art competition

- 1st place in the Bicentenary Brazil-United States competition

- Has worked as a voice actress           

Instagram: @isabella_gomes.1

Jessye Blue

Jessye Blue is from Paraíba and is 32 years old. Although nature and birds are some of her favorite themes, the artist keeps an open mind to explore new ideas, demonstrating remarkable creativity. In addition to being a visual artist, Jessye became a speaker at autism congresses in Brazil, establishing herself as a passionate activist and an inspiration within the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community.

Highlights:

- 1st place in painting at the 1st Sagrado EyeContact Arts Festival, held in Miami in 2021

- Participated in the Tcheadoro 2021 congress in Rio Grande do Sul

- Participated in the Rio te Ama congress in 2021 & 2022

- Participated in the Tearteiro congress in 2023 & 2024

- Participated in the European Congress in Portugal in 2024

- Participated in the Cindi 2024 Congress           

Instagram: @jessyeblue

Júlia Malc

Born in Curitiba in 2003, Júlia is autistic and started in the arts at the age of 13. In 2021, she held her first exhibition. Currently, the artist is studying Visual Arts at PUC-PR.

Highlights:

- 1st place – Spring Drawing

- 1st place – Tearteiro 2022, São Paulo

- 1st place – Sagrado Miami 2022, USA

- Exhibitions in Curitiba and São Paulo

- Teacher and intern at Luna Aba Curitiba           

Instagram: @juliamalcbarbosa

Mary Gomes

Maryana Gomes is level 2 support autistic and is in the 8th grade of elementary school. She currently lives in São Lourenço, Minas Gerais, and has won several art awards, but considers her greatest recognition to be having her paintings displayed in the office of the pediatric neurologist Dr. Carlos Gadia. Her inspirational quote is, "Art calms me and makes me feel included."

Instagram: @marygomes_artista

Yo Cruzue

Yohannes is a 14-year-old autistic boy who is very joyful and creative. Since he was little, he has always loved art. He is an artist at Cog Life Arts, having created 12 prints for the company. For Yo, art represents joy and helps him with self-regulation. He brings a lot of love to everyone who meets him, as he is very affectionate and charming.

Highlights:

- Finalist at the 2023 Tearteiro Festival

- Finalist at the Cultural Contest – Talent & Creativity LK ARTS 2022

- Finalist for the Young Stylist Hippie Chic Kids Award 2023

- Finalist in the Olhares e Cores Especiais exhibition at the South 2 Education Department - Special Education Training (08/30/2024)

- Finalist in the Olhares e Cores Especiais exhibition at Clara Suiter School - Cultural Fair (10/19/2024)

- Awarded at the Music Festival for People with Autism at the III Tearteiro International Seminar on Autism and Art 2024, São Paulo          

Instagram: @yohannescruzue

About the curator

Graduated in Advertising from PUC-RS, Grazi Gadia is a visual artist and art teacher for autistic individuals. Eighteen years ago, she moved to the USA and founded the nonprofit organization Eyecontact – Lives Shaped by Autism, whose mission is to highlight the role of parents and mothers of autistic individuals in improving the quality of life within the autistic community through art. She was a pioneer in launching the first art festival exclusively for autistic individuals.

Additionally, Grazi is the curator of Autism Without Mask (Autismo Sem Máscaras in Portuguese), a project in which mothers have their faces painted by their autistic children. The project, which resulted in a book of the same name, has activist and entrepreneur Suzana Mion as its ambassador. Suzana is the mother of autistic young man Romeo and the wife of TV presenter Marcos Mion.

About the Art Exhibition “I Love You, South Korea”

- Dates: April 5 to 30, 2025

- Operating hours: Tuesday to Friday, from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM; Saturday, from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM (closed for lunch from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM)

- Location: Library of the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil

- Address: Av. Paulista, 460, Bela Vista, São Paulo/SP

- Age range: All ages

- Admission: Free

- Inquiries: contato@kccbrazil.com.br

Special Programs

Opening Ceremony

- Date and Time: April 5, 2025 (Saturday), from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

- Location: Library of the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil

- Address: Av. Paulista, 460, Bela Vista, São Paulo/SP

- Age Range: All ages

- Admission: Free (subject to capacity and first-come, first-served basis)

- Description: The opening of the exhibition for the public will include lectures by Luciana Perroud from the Aptos Clinic and Erick Cupertino, a social skills therapist.