Romero Britto (1963) is an internationally renowned plastic artist from Pernambuco. Known for his Pop Art, for his vibrant high-contrast colors and for the simplicity of his work, Romero Britto is perhaps the most popular Brazilian painter. He has portrayed countless international celebrities, campaigned for companies and created work for the United Nations. In 1988 he moved to the US and since then has lived in Miami.
see more
Discover the biography of Magda Soares and her main works
Who was Emmi Pikler? Discover its history and methodology
Romero Britto learned to paint self-taught and became interested in art as a child. The artist began his work painting on scrap metal, cardboard and newspaper, as well as graffiti. Afterwards, he traveled to Europe and saw the works of Matisse and Picasso, which he cites on his page as great references to his work.
He began studying law at the Catholic University of Pernambuco, but dropped out to live in the United States and dedicate himself fully to art. According to the Museum of Contemporary Art of the University of São Paulo, Romero Britto sold his works on the American streets to survive and “In 1989, Michel Roux, an American importer of Absolut Vodka saw his work and hired him to do the advertising campaign for the drink.”
His work was described by the New York Times as follows: "exudes warmth, optimism and love". a and present characteristics of two schools of the arts. The first is Pop Art, which emerged in the United States in the 1950s and expresses North American industrial and consumerist culture. Being made with the techniques of mechanical reproduction of the image, Pop Art approximates the language of Romero Britto's works with the advertising language.
Another school that notably influenced the artist is Cubism. The deformation of the human or animal figure, the well-marked lines, the geometric shapes, the use of motifs, the characters, all this refers to this European avant-garde movement.
Romero Britto achieved unprecedented international recognition for a Brazilian artist. He has exhibited his works in galleries and museums in more than one hundred countries, including the Salon Nationale des Beaux Arts – exhibition at the Carrousel du Louvre, in Paris in 2008 and 2010. She has created portraits of celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Dilma Rousseff, Elton John, Bill Clinton, William and Kate Middleton, and many others.
