Artist Profile | Cartoon & Caricature

Emerson Coe

Emerson Coe is a self-taught cartoonist and designer from the Brazilian state of Pará who began to devote himself professionally to illustration in 1994 when he joined the comics group “Ponto de fuga” (94/98), an alternative collective of cartoonists in the city of Belém, who published their works in fanzines that were exchanged with artists from all over Brazil, resulting in improvements in their style. In 1998 he joined the advertising business, becoming an art director for a period of 12 years, responsible for illustration and the creation of several memorable campaigns for companies such as “Vale”, “Mineração Rio do Norte”, “Amazônia Celular ”, “Yamada Supermarkets”, “Líder”, the XII Pan-Amazonian book fair and “Big Ben” drugstores. In addition to working for various companies in the retail and institutional market, as well as being in various shortlists and winning national and international awards. Emerson again took on independent production responsibilities in 2010, this time focusing his work on the visual arts, blending new techniques such as graphite, retail, and painting styles. His ideas come from comics, music, books, travel and experiences, as well as exchanges with other artists, their subcultures and the Internet, multiple influences that have been the catharsis of his art. Emerson also regularly participates in comic and cartoon exhibitions in Brazil and abroad, actively participating in the urban collective "Urban National Gallery of Art". His work has already received national and international awards, such as being shortlisted for the annual "New York Festivals 2000"; “The Globals 2000” yearbook shortlist; winner of the silver medal of the "2000 Colunista Norte-Nordeste" as an illustrator; winner of the Bronze Medal Award in the Culture and Education Category "Colunista Norte-Nordeste" 2012; and First Place in the category “Art Salon Arte Parô 2013”. Emerson currently teaches drawing, traditional and digital painting classes at the Portifólio School, as well as working as a freelance for the advertising and editorial illustration market.