[2][3][5] Chico began his career as a self-taught artist, initially painting birds on fishermen's houses using charcoal, chalk, and natural pigments.
In 1952, he wrote an article titled “A Brazilian Indian Reinvents Painting” in the French journal Cahiers d’Art, which led to Chico's widespread recognition.
His fame grew, leading to exhibitions at prestigious venues, including the Brazilian pavilion of the Venice Biennale in 1966 and the São Paulo Biennial in 1967.
[3] His style and communal studio practice in the Pirambu neighborhood of Fortaleza have influenced contemporary Indigenous artists in Brazil, such as Denilson Baniwa and Jaider Esbell.
[9] His works are part of the permanent collection at the Pinacoteca de São Paulo and have been recently acquired by major institutions such as the Tate in London and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.