Artist Profile

Edilson Peregrino (b. 2002, Porto Amboim, Angola), known professionally as Peregrino, is a self-taught visual artist based in Luanda whose practice bridges classical draftsmanship and contemporary figurative painting. Working across graphite drawing and acrylic on canvas, he explores the emotional, spiritual, and symbolic dimensions of the human form, creating works that balance technical precision with expressive depth. His artistic development began with highly detailed portraiture in graphite, before expanding into painting in 2022, where colour and texture became integral to his visual language. Drawing inspiration from everyday life, spiritual reflection, and questions of identity, Peregrino’s work is informed by the legacies of Caravaggio and Picasso, as well as contemporary African artistic traditions, while remaining grounded in a distinct personal perspective. Through a practice rooted in discipline, introspection, and visual storytelling, Peregrino contributes to a new generation of emerging Angolan artists shaping contemporary African art.