Eduardo Eleutério soon realized that he could forge the shapes of his own world, instead of fitting himself on the traditional frames. At the age of 18, left the family in Fortaleza to settle in Belo Horizonte, where he still lives. There, he started to work selling handcraft products and opened a store named Canoa Quebrada at the Savassi district, in 1987.
Fascinated by the work, he quickly began to craft his own production. Wood and coconut shells were the first materials used on his artistic path, creating decoration items and bijous. Once in Italy for an exhibition, he was introduced to an incision technique in wood, which would have great impact on his talent and change the concept of his art.
Back in Brazil, Eduardo Eleutério again decided to outline the surrounding scenario. Instead of just reproducing the recently acquired knowledge, he took a step further: dedicated himself to customize machines and equipment, in order to incorporate technique and creativity, making a unique and exclusively designed work of art.
Eduardo Eleutério´s artistic roots are embedded in wood. The fertile soil flourishes early, and gave multiple fruits. His skills and determination allowed him to create from diverse origins. Noble tree lineages like jacarandá and ipê are object of his work as well as the products arising from the local trimming of public areas.
Committed to the praise of diversity, he cherishes the veins, lines and imperfections of the wood to make each piece a unique matter. The objects are created as extensions of nature, branching of beauty and stand outs on a variety of ambiences. To enhance that, Eduardo Eleuterio developed another differential on his work: a personal polish technique that regains the natural brightness of the wood.
Because of that, all of his pieces are exclusively and individually made with the tools he designed. The result of his work can be appreciated in his signature product, the Secret Boxes, balancers, and also on candlesticks and several others ornamental Works of art.
A major feature of Eduardo Eleuterio´s work is sustainability. All the artist production is made upon wood collected from the local trimming of public areas, in partnership with the city of Belo Horizonte. In a direct way, it is garbage transmuted into art. A shift of destination: from a routine ordinary disposal to new forms and perspective.
The artist´s environmental commitment forbids any use of material resultant of deforestation or logged by private orders. The coherency of his conduct is rewarded by the demonstration that is viable to select high quality material without attacking nature. Trunks and branches of certified wood that would be disposed became ornamental and decoration objects.
As recognition of his standing position protecting the environment, Eduardo Eleuterio was chosen to receive part of the wood withdrew during the process of remodeling the Mineirão stadium for the 2014 World Cup.
The wide range of Eduardo Eleuterio´s work follows his creative path and the singularities of material at hand. But there remains no doubt that one line of objects carries his strongest identification as an artist: the Secret Boxes, designed by him over 20 years ago and still the universal mark of his sculptor career.
The Secret Boxes are sculptures crafted in different shapes. Spheres, cylinders, cut out towers and cubes are examples of a geometrical adaption in art. A hidden mystery is the common matter, disclosed only on its handling, in a sensorial experience. The curves and secret spots on the wood reveal drawers and inner spaces to withhold jewelry and other personal treasures.
The playful character of the object appraisal joins the esthetic rigor of art to create a piece that is, simultaneously, beautiful and functional. With those dimensions combined, the artist assembles value and practicality at his work.
Eduardo Eleuterio´s work has represented Brazdil in many different moments overseas, as a natural consequence of the creative quality and global aspects of his production. The breaking point of his career was the selection of one of his Secret Boxes to be the official souvenir presented by the Brazilian Government to the President of United States, Barack Obama.
More than just an individual acknowledgment, the selection represented an honor and symbolism for every artist committed with environmental issues. To carve the gift, he chose a trunk of an avocado tree, an American native species. Eduardo created a sphere with the Brazilian map incrusted, in a retractile way. Inside of three hidden drawers, wooden replicas of the flags from United States, Brazil and the local state (Minas Gerais).
The repercussion to Obama´s souvenir granted new requests from companies and public offices. Eduardo Eleuterio made selected pieces dedicated to the members of the trade delegation from United Arab Emirates and also the official souvenirs from the Minas Gerais state Government given to the chairmen of the national teams that participated in the 2013 Confederations Cup and 2014 World Cup..
The art work of Eduardo Eleutério is not limited to private collections. His product is set to be publicly appreciated at the Inhotim Institute, situated less than 40 miles of Belo Horizonte. Largest outdoor art museum of Latin America, Inhotim upholds the most relevant estate of contemporary art in Brazil and exhibits and commercialize objects signed by him.
Central Mãos de Minas is another project that Eduardo Eleuterio is historically associated with. From over three decades he has been an active member of the organization that develops initiatives to the professional valorization of the Minas Gerais state craftsmen. He is largely considered as one of the project main exponents and an outstanding case of success.
