Leonilson (José Leonilson Bezerra Dias)

José Leonilson Bezerra Dias (b. 1957 Fortaleza, Ceará – d. 1993 São Paulo, São Paulo), was a Brazilian artist working in both 2D as a painter and draughtsman and in 3D as textile worker and sculptor. He lived most of his life in Brazil where he created conceptual artworks focused on expressions of love and grief specifically from a queer-lens. Leonilson was diagnosed with HIV (AIDS) at the age of 34, and died a few years later from complications.