It seems that his affinity for the plant world—and, by extension, for nature—dates back to his childhood. Spent in the region of the Bay of All Saints (Bahia de Todos os Santos) amidst remnants of the Atlantic Forest (interspersed with cacao plantations), that childhood invited the young boy to contemplate the surrounding exuberance. This is not to say that first impressions are the ones that endure; given the persistent presence of phytomorphic elements in João’s painting, one could easily attribute this to a lifelong passion for the plant world. However, the resolution of his paintings does not stem from precise observation of nature, nor does he derive anything more than a mere starting point from it.

His interest lies in creating tension and transmuting plant elements (or forms resembling them) into shapes of varying expressiveness. Unconcerned with the concept of landscape—here loosely defined as a framing that isolates a specific segment of the world (natural and/or human)—his practice leans closer to arrangement and grouping. His focus is on taking the natural element as a *motif* and manipulating it to serve the formal composition.

The canvas is not constructed as a mere cluster but conceived as a surface to be filled by the voluptuousness of plant life. His process involves photographing urban flowerbeds, observing city plants, and harboring an irrepressible interest in greenery and bright, open hues. Fittingly, right across from his studio on Avenida Nove de Julho in downtown São Paulo, there is a modest garden created by grouping numerous pots together. It is a garden situated on the sidewalk at the edge of the asphalt, in a veritable concrete valley—where the "mountains" are the retaining walls and buildings lining the grand avenue. In a botanical flourish reminiscent of Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1526–1593)—albeit without any anthropomorphic intent—João constructs something artificial using elements drawn from nature. Much like the urban garden and the flowerbed, we see a so-called botanical freedom held captive by the interests of civilization—interests that encompass everything from sensual indulgence to a sense of decoration.