Jose de Souza Oliveira Filho was born on December 1st 1952, the second of eighteen children in the city that would later give him his present name, Macaparana in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. Show-ing an early dexterity for painting while convalescing after a bout of rheumatic fever at the age of seven, led him to choose the path of becoming an artist in spite of his strong paternal disaproval. 

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His first exhibit at the age of eighteen, followed a period of exhibits and local recognition, led him to move to Rio de Janeiro at age 20 where he meets Lygia Clark, and Lygia Pape. The following year he moves to Sao Paulo establishing a very close friendship with Amilcar de Castro, Waldemar Cordeiro  and Ferrera Guilar, pioneers and masters of the Brazilian Concrete art movement of the 1950's. Sao Paulohas been his place of residence until now.