Jarbas Lopes' work moves fluidly between painting, sculpture, drawing, artist's books, and performance. Many of his pieces are participatory or sensory, actively encouraging viewers to touch, hold, move, and turn pages. He develops utopian projects designed to engage communities and propose new social frameworks.
Notable solo exhibitions include poeta-poeta at Centro Municipal de Arte Hélio Oiticica in Rio de Janeiro (2024); Jarbas Lopes: eixos at Pinacoteca de São Paulo (2023); Lua/Luta at A Gentil Carioca in Rio (2023); Gira at Museu de Arte do Rio (2022); and earlier shows at CRAC Alsace in France (2017), Galeria Luisa Strina in São Paulo (2017), and Museo Nacional de Belas Artes in Santiago (2010). His work has been featured internationally at venues like Jack Tilton Gallery in New York and Art Basel presentations with A Gentil Carioca.
Selected group exhibitions span Forrobodó at A Gentil Carioca (2023), A Cor do Brasil at MAR Rio (2016), the 32nd Panorama da Arte Brasileira at MAM-SP (2011), and Law of the jungle at Lehmann Maupin in New York (2010).
Awards recognizing his practice include the Marcantonio Vilaça Prize (2010), Miami Art Central Debuts Fellowship (2005), and top honors at Salão Nacional de Belo Horizonte (1997).