Pelé is honored by cartoonists with virtual exhibition

A virtual exhibition of work by Brazilian artists pays homage to former player Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, who died on December 29 and is considered the greatest name in world football. Called the Exhibition Love – Tribute to King Pelé, the exhibition is already available on the website and brings together more than 100 cartoons made by artists such as Maurício de Souza, Aroeira, Ziraldo, Laerte and Jal, among others. One of the most well-known, revered and portrayed personalities in the world, Pelé recognized the proximity between what he played on the field and the world of art. “One day, already a professional and with a name at Santos, I heard an announcer say on the radio that I drew plays, dribbles and, mainly, goals well. So, in a way, I came to the conclusion that I can also draw. Only with the feet. This just demonstrates that the arts of football and the dash are close. And that the caricatures and cartoons that appear in the press, before and after the games, are part of the football spectacle. Without them, everything would be much less happy and exciting”, wrote Pelé at the opening of the book Gol de Bico – Brasil nas Copas, by Jal and Gualberto Costa. Dribbling and punching in the air In the works presented on the site, Pelé is portrayed as a king or giving his well-known dribbling and punching in the air [que era a maneira como o jogador sempre comemorava um gol]. There are also drawings that depict him kissing the ball or in the sky, accompanied by messages of thanks for what he has done on the football fields. “Edson is gone, but Pelé is eternal”, illustrates one of the cartoons in honor of the former player. The exhibition in homage to Pelé continues to receive works and has no date to be closed. “The history of football passes through the hands of these cartoonists, and Pelé is one of the most honored artists in this sport, which is a passion for Brazilians,” said the show’s curator, cartoonist José Alberto Lovetro, Jal. Edson Arantes do Nascimento from Minas Gerais died on December 29, 2022, in São Paulo, as a result of multiple organ failure, a result of the progression of colon cancer.

Agência Brasil