Brazilian artist's work selected to be part of Vatican collection: 'Deep connection'

Paulo Ricardo Campos (38) is paving the way for a distinguished Brazilian artist on the international scene. Awarded Artist of the Year in London in 2022, he has reached a new milestone in his career after having his painting of Pope Francis (1936-2025) selected to be part of the Vatican collection. In an interview with CARAS Brasil , the artist talks about his achievement: "A deep connection," he reveals.

Brazilian roots

Born in Itumbiara, in the interior of Goiás, Paulo Ricardo stands out for his vibrant and emotional art. The eldest of three brothers, Paulo had to face unexpected challenges from an early age. At the age of seventeen, after the family business went bankrupt, he decided to take responsibility for his family and take control of his life and that of his family, and began offering painting classes to help out at home.

Determination has always been present in the life of the artist who, since he was a child, used painting as a means of expression and freedom as a way to transform his pain into inspiration. In a journey that transcends technique, the artist, who was not familiar with painting, decided to leave his comfort zone and embrace the challenge of teaching art.

International success

Currently internationally recognized for his paintings and contributions to art, Paulo has a resume full of achievements: he has accumulated four titles of Academic Immortality, one of which was from a French Academy of Letters, and two numbered Commander Titles from the UN, in addition to being awarded as Professor of the Arts by the Holy Catholic Church.

In 2022, he received the prestigious Artist of the Year award during the Top Of Mind Awards in England, further solidifying his status as one of the greats of contemporary art.

His latest major achievement was having one of his paintings recognized by the Vatican. The work, which depicts the late Pope Francis, was selected to be part of the Catholic Church's artistic collection. "The painting was created with metal paste and completed in around 100 hours," he says.

According to the artist, with the end of the vacancy period and the election of Pope Leo XIV (69), the work will enter the collection. "The painting will be delivered to the headquarters of the Carmelite Order in Rome. We do not yet know whether it will be open to visitors" , he concludes.