Sharlhorne, Welmon

United States of America, 1952

Born in 1952, Welmon Sharlhorne spent his childhood in the fields and swampy marshes of Louisiana, south of New Orleans. After 20 years in prison for non-violent crimes, Welmon was recognized as one of the most important self-taught artists in the south of the USA. In his own words, his work “left prison before him”. His ink drawings on envelopes, files and cards, cut out with the help of a ruler, form an intricate geometry. His works have plenty of personality and are composed by a singular iconography portraying cathedrals, buses and buildings surrounded by walls. Welmon is present in several important collections, such as the Collection de l’Art Brut in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, USA, and the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, USA.