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Tales Sabará (b. 1986, Congonhas, Brazil) is a multidisciplinary artist working across drawing, printmaking, collage, photography, and painting. Inspired by his Black heritage, music, religion, folklore, and—above all—his hometown, he translates his experiences into visual compositions, where personal and collective histories intertwine. His work is rooted in a deep engagement with materiality and memory, often using simple, accessible tools such as ballpoint pens and found paper.
By incorporating discarded or previously marked materials, Sabará embraces imperfections as part of the creative process. Stains, creases, and traces of past use become integral elements of his work. This act of transformation—of giving new life to overlooked materials—echoes themes of resilience, history, and renewal.
His work has been recognized with 21 art awards and exhibited internationally, including at the Pavillon Comtesse de Caen in Paris, the University of Coimbra in Portugal, and institutions across Brazil such as Memorial da América Latina, BDMG, CEMIG, and FUNARTE. In 2024, he was selected for the Discerning Eye exhibition at Mall Galleries, London, and in 2023, he was a finalist for the Prix de Dessin Pierre David-Weill in Paris.
Beyond his artistic practice, Sabará has curated and assisted exhibitions across Brazil, Portugal, France, and the UK. He has collaborated with various galleries and institutions, including La Fondation Antoine de Galbert in Paris, and in 2017, he worked alongside Christian Boltanski for the exhibition Étranger Résident. In recognition of his contributions to the arts, he was appointed an Honorary Academician of the Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts of Congonhas in 2015.
Through his work, Sabará creates a space where past and present converge, where forgotten materials find new meaning, and where the cultural richness of his heritage and homeland is transformed into visual storytelling.