Astonishing Surreal Portraits by Rafael Silveira

Rafael Silveira is a talented artist based in Curitiba, Brazil, who paints some of the most unique portraits you can find. His works are full of surreal elements and fantasy imagery that change the perspective of the artwork and discover something new each time your return to it.

At times, his works are disturbing from the bat, with brain flamingos, heart spiders, and dead flowers invading the subjects of the portraits. Other times, the setting is much more welcoming and calming, with flowers and idyllic nature taking the driver’s seat. But this is only until you notice the small details that make everything that much more unsettling.

Although Silveira’s artworks are best described as portraits, the artist himself doesn’t think they represent persons. Instead, they are a representation of moods.

“From inside, we are a strange mix of dreams, thoughts, feelings, and human meat. I think these portraits are not persons but moods,” Silveira explained in a recent interview.

Thanks to their uniqueness, Silveira’s portraits have already captured the attention of art lovers and art institutions from around the world. They are regularly featured in exhibitions in renowned galleries, with the next one being scheduled in London’s Dorothy Circus Gallery in early 2022. If you can’t make it there to see his works in person, check out more of them below.