GLOBAL COLLECTORS ART PRIZE | MASTERS DEFINING THE FUTURE OF ART

Biography

Life and Education

Simone Campos was born in 1965 in Curitiba, in the state of Paraná. According to her own accounts, she came into contact with painting and drawing during her childhood through her family's studio and later attended drawing and painting classes.

She studied Fine Arts at EMBAP, the Escola de Música e Belas Artes do Paraná in Curitiba, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1986. Campos then moved to Italy. In Florence, she studied painting and drawing at the Scuola Lorenzo de’ Medici. Additionally, she completed studies and further training at the Istituto per l’Arte e il Restauro – Palazzo Spinelli, focusing, among other things, on art and restoration.

After returning to Brazil, Campos also worked in the field of restoration. Among the projects she has noted is the restoration of artworks and religious depictions in the Church of São Francisco do Sul in the state of Santa Catarina.

Exhibitions

Since the 1990s, Campos has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Brazil and Europe. Documented locations include Curitiba, São Paulo, Lisbon, Paris, Frankfurt am Main, Aachen, China, Eschweiler, Stolberg, Leipzig, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Barcelona, London, Venice, Saint-Tropez, Lucca, and Florence.

Simone Campos has an extensive exhibition history, with a regular presence at art fairs, as well as group and solo exhibitions in Brazil and Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and Italy. Below are some of the most significant exhibitions of her career, focusing on events with international reach and key milestones in her professional path.

Memberships and Honors

Campos is registered as a member of the Academia de Cultura de Curitiba (ACCUR). Furthermore, she is a member and academician of the Academia Brasileira de Belas Artes (ABBA) in Rio de Janeiro, where she holds Chair No. 32.

Documented awards and recognitions include an award in connection with the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, which took place in 2009 at the Carrousel du Louvre, as well as the Diplôme de Médaille d’Argent from the Société académique d’Éducation et d’Encouragement Arts, Sciences et Lettres, Paris, awarded in 2010.

In 2014, she received an award at the Biennale d’Arte Internazionale di Roma. In 2023, Campos was honored by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Paraná. The tribute highlighted her connection to Curitiba and her international artistic career.

In 2025, she received the "Artist of the Year" award from the ITSLIQUID Group, Italy. In 2026, she was awarded the "Prêmio Noble Art" for exceptional contributions to artistic heritage by Contemporary Art Collectors. Her biography mentions additional prizes and distinctions, some of which are documented exclusively through institutional records.

New Marie Antoinette

Campos has been working on the New Marie Antoinette series since 2024. The series was first presented at Art Innsbruck, among other venues, and subsequently shown at additional exhibitions and art fairs.

The starting point of the series is the historical figure of Marie Antoinette. According to the artist, the series explores notions of luxury and pleasure in the 18th century and their counterparts in the contemporary world. Campos addresses topics such as consumerism, social inequality, and individual freedom.

The works in this series blend the historical motif with a contemporary representation, while maintaining a stylistic kinship with the figurative language and intense use of color that characterize Campos' overall body of work.

Marie Antoinette, born on 02/11/1755 in Vienna and died on 16/10/1793 in Paris, was executed by guillotine at the insistence of the people. The painting series “New Marie Antoinette” symbolizes intellectual freedom as a contemporary comparison between pleasure and luxury in the parallel worlds of then and now, intended to artfully stimulate reflection on what ended fatally over 200 years ago and is now almost considered normal.

Artist Statement

The subject matter of the painter Simone Campos, especially in her series of paintings “New Marie Antoinette,” is both fascinating and provocative. Marie Antoinette, born on November 2, 1755, in Vienna and executed on October 16, 1793, in Paris, is a historical figure often associated with the extremes of luxury and power, but also with the fall and tragedy of a monarch. Her execution by guillotine, at the insistence of the people, symbolizes not only the end of an era, but also the revolt against injustice and the demand for freedom.

Perceived by many as flirtatious and frivolous, Marie Antoinette was, in reality, a complex personality. She was both a strong-willed ruler and a broken woman who provoked passionate reactions. Her story is one of contradictions, and Simone Campos uses this figure to open a contemporary dialogue about spiritual freedom and the contradictions between pleasure and luxury.

In New Marie Antoinette, Campos draws parallels between the opulent lifestyles of the 18th century and modern consumer cultures, which often promote similar values of excess and pleasure. Through this juxtaposition, she encourages us to reflect on the societal norms and values that have changed, or not, over the centuries.

The series of paintings is not only a tribute to Marie Antoinette, but also a critical reflection on the consequences of power and excess. Campos invites us to ask the question: what has really changed since the time of Marie Antoinette? While the excesses and luxury of that time were often considered scandalous, many of these aspects seem almost normalized in today's society.

Through her art, Simone Campos challenges us to reflect on the dangers of excess and the social inequalities that come with it. She encourages us to recognize and appreciate the importance of intellectual freedom, while also becoming aware of the responsibility that comes with power and influence. Her works are therefore not only aesthetically pleasing, but also profound and thought-provoking, as they make us reflect on the past and recognize its relevance to our world today.

Overall, “New Marie Antoinette” is a powerful artistic exploration of themes that are timeless and affect us all. Let us delve into the fascinating world of Simone Campos together and discover the stories behind her works. I invite you to take your time, enjoy the art, and reflect on what it has to say about our own time and our values.

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