Romero Britto he is a brazilian visual artist known worldwide for his optimistic and cheerful art style and for his colorful works. Britto is famous for creating the Happy Art Movement in the 1990s. Considered an icon of pop culture and modern art, Romero Britto has lived in Miami (USA) since the late 1980s, but also maintains an art gallery in São Paulo.
Read too: Pedro Américo — a Brazilian artist who gained fame for his paintings made for the monarchy
Life of Romero Britto
Romero Francisco da Silva Brito was born on October 6, 1963 in Recife, capital of Pernambuco. Son of Lourdes and Rosemiro Brito, the artist has eight siblings.
As a child, Romero became interested in art.. At the age of eight, the native from Pernambuco began to make his paintings on newspapers and cardboard. Lacking material, he used his mother's enamels to paint his works.
Britto never took an art course, which is why he is considered self-taught. Romero Britto sold your first painting to the Organization of American States (OAS) when he was 14, at an exhibition in Brasília (DF).
In 1980, Romero entered the Law course at the Catholic University of Pernambuco (Unicap) through a scholarship. At the time, he wanted to be a diplomat, to see the world. However, he only studied four semesters.
A little over 20 years old, the future painter traveled to Europe, where he was able to personally see the works of several artists he admired, such as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.
A while later, Britto he traveled to Miami, in the state of Florida, in the United States, and fell in love with the city. At first, he worked in a snack bar and in the gardening area.
In the following years, began his activities as a visual artist in Miami, where it has remained since 1988. The artist is highly recognized in the city, and his works are featured in several of its sights.
Romero Britto was married to Cheryl Britto, with whom he had his only child, Brendan. Cheryl passed away in 2018.
Work by Romero Britto
Romero Britto began his professional career as a visual artist in the late 1980s in Miami. The Pernambuco exhibited his first works on the sidewalks of the Coconut Groove neighborhood in Miami. Afterwards, he managed to set up his first studio and present his works in a gallery in the same city.
![Parking meter painted by Romero Britto, in Miami. [2]](/f/91b86b9f6faffeb21d6244cfd9c1fa57.jpg)
Romero Britto's career took a turn in 1989, when he participated in the advertising campaign of the Swedish drink Vodka Absolut. At the time, the company was looking for an artist who was lesser known than the drink.
![Romero Britto paintings on licensed products. [3]](/f/bab06b6e2915a31adc31e4a5e5ab047d.jpg)
After Romero Britto's partnership with Absolut, the value of the Brazilian's works of art increased considerably, and he became famous worldwide. Due to the success,the following years, Britto collaborated with several other well-known brands in the world, such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Disney and Mattel.
→ Art style by Romero Britto
Romero Britto defines his art style as positive, happy and fun. So much so that, in 1992 he founded O Happy Art Movement.
![Bear statue made by Romero Britto exposed in Berlin, Germany. [4]](/f/7e3c32b5a3abf466e466b2168b9e3665.jpg)
The main characteristics of Romero Britto's works of art are designs, with curved lines, outlined in black It is intertwined with strong, vibrant and bold colors. Many of his works are large. Another characteristic of Britto's art are the shapes geometric.
Romero Britto's type of art mixes cubism, O graphism and the pop art. Some compare Britto's works of art with those of Andy Warhol, the main exponent of pop art. The artist has already declared himself a fan of Warhol's work.
→ Trademark of Romero Britto
A trademark of Romero Britto is to make portraits of personalities that are in evidence at the moment.. Among some politicians honored by the artist are the former president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, and the former president of the United States, Barack Obama.
In addition, Britto also painted paintings of artists such as Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Elton John, Leonardo di Caprio and Shakira. He also portrayed soccer player Neymar.
The Brazilian artist has already made reinterpretations of famous works of art, among which the Mona Lisa painting, by the Italian Leonardo da Vinci, which is called Mona Cat, and the Abaporu painting, by the Brazilian painter Tarsila do Amaral.
→ Artworks by Romero Britto
Romero Britto's paintings are known for capturing the essence of joy and happiness. As the artist has already revealed, the idea of his works is to provide an optimistic view of life.
Generally, the artist's paintings make reference to elements of nature, such as flowers and animals, such as butterflies, fish and bears. But the main animal found in Romero Britto's works are cats.
see below Thesome of main works of art by Romero Britto:
Britto Garden (2000);
Mona Cat (2004);
Night Out (2004);
Martini Sunrise (2005);
Rauschenberg (2007);
Love in Paris (2014).
See too: Graffiti — art that emerged in the urban periphery and highlights social criticism
Other works by Romero Britto
In addition to the colorful and cheerful artworks characteristic of Romero Britto, other works by the artist can be remembered:
2008 and 2010: Salon de la Societe Nationale des Beaux Arts exhibition at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France.
2009: opening of Super Bowl XLI in collaboration with Cirque Du Soleil in the United States.
2010: Ambassador of the FIFA World Cup held in South Africa.
2013: first living artist to exhibit at Museo Soumaya, Mexico.
2014: official artist of the World Cup in Brazil.
2016: Honorary Torch Bearer for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
2017: production of the largest monumental sculpture in the history of Hyde Park in London, England.
Romero Britto Galleries
![Romero Britto Art Gallery in Miami. [6]](/f/42cba07529cf1b3d032a9ada8709b277.jpg)
Romero Britto has two galleries in the world. See addresses below:
Miami - 1102 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States.
São Paulo, capital - Rua Oscar Freire, 562, Cerqueira César.
Facts about Romero Britto
Throughout his career as a visual artist, Romero Britto has collaborated with various charities around the world. For the artist, art is too important not to be shared.
Romero Britto is famous for being the most licensed Brazilian artist. His works can be found on products sold in stores located in various parts of the world, such as, for example, at the Miami airport. Among the main licensed products that feature Romero Britto's works of art are: t-shirts, slippers, mugs, bags, pens, notebooks, decoration items, etc.
Romero Britto's art is considered controversial by some people. Some opine that Britto's artwork lacks creativity because they are too similar. Others also believe that the artist has a very market-oriented view of art, as he licenses his art in various products. In an interview, Romero Britto said he did not attach much importance to negative comments about his works.
Romero Britto has a star on the Miami Walk of Fame.
image credits
[1] A.PAES / Shutterstock
[2] MCDesigns / Shutterstock
[3] Paula Montenegro Stock / Shutterstock
[4] hafakot / Shutterstock
[5] Roberto Stuckert Filho / Dilma Rousseff / Wikimedia Commons (reproduction)
[6] Harun Ozmen / Shutterstock
By Silvia Tancredi
Journalist
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biografia/romero-britto.htm
