JP Gonçalves

JP Gonçalves is a Brazilian-born contemporary artist whose work explores the intersection of light, shadow, physical form and human perception.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Gonçalves began drawing and making objects at an early age. His later studies in architecture and industrial design, together with years working with construction, materials and decorative finishes, contributed to an experimental studio practice grounded in the relationship between object, space and light.

Through years of experimentation, Gonçalves developed two interconnected bodies of work: Shadow Silhouettes and Shadow Pointillism.

In his Shadow Silhouettes, sculptural arrangements interact with a controlled source of light to reveal recognizable images through cast shadow. Some begin as seemingly abstract compositions; others contain one image within the physical sculpture and a second image revealed through shadow.

His Shadow Pointillism works approach image-making differently. Hundreds or thousands of individually positioned elements interact with light at varying angles, collectively creating detailed portraits and images through changes in light and shadow. The work draws conceptual connections to pointillism while translating the principle into physical, dimensional form.

Gonçalves’ work has received recognition through ArtPrize and has been presented through galleries, exhibitions and art fairs in the United States and internationally. His work has also entered private and institutional collections.

After more than two decades in the United States, Gonçalves returned to Brazil, where he continues developing his studio practice.

JP lives with his wife and children in Imbituba, Brazil, where his primary studio is now based. His practice continues to maintain strong ties to the United States, with studio access in Texas for selected projects and larger-scale works.