Jose Francisco Borges (1935-) is a world-renowned folk artist and poet of humble origins. Born into the poverty of the Brasilian countryside he attended only 10 months of school in his youth. His days were spent laboring in the fields and weaving baskets. At night he taught himself to read and developed his woodcutting skills through trial and error.
    Seemingly destined to a life as an unskilled laborer he began publish folhetos or literatura do cordel. These tiny chapbooks contain original narrative verse and were once adorned with original black and white woodcuts.
    In the 1970's Mr. Borges was one of a small group of innovators who recognized the value of the woodcut as an independent art form. He began to experiment with larger blocks, intricate designs and colored inks.
    The Brasilian elite initially ignored the movement and dismissed it as 'low art'. But international interest in naïve, folk, and outsider art propelled Mr. Borges work to the forefront of Brasilian culture.
    Since the 1970's Mr. Borges woodcuts have been exhibited many prestigious galleries including the Louvre, the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
    UNESCO has honored Mr. Borges with awards for his contributions to world culture. They also commissioned him to illustrate the cover of the United Nations 2002 calendar. The United States Library of Congress has preserved a body of Mr. Borges work in its' permanent collection.
    Rarely do living, self-taught artists receive so much attention. But despite his literary and artistic achievements he does not like to be referred to as either an artist or author. He still resides in the town of his birth and considers himself to be a 'working man.'

-Shawn Corbett, copyright 2008.