My wife Maxine and I were walking through the mall and came across this rainbow of color in the window of his gallery. We then discovered that all the art on display was by this very young man and artist—Romero Britto.
It was love at first sight and an hour of joy listening to him describe his work. We bought two pieces. He signed them and we went on our way.
Twenty years later, Britto still exudes the energy of youth. Exhibiting more talent and raising the stakes of his creativity, the artist has put his mark on ships, cars, Vodka bottles, in museums, on glass-fiber cows, and I believe, on airplanes.
At the height of his worldly success, I hope he can touch us all. Britto travels everywhere to open his exhibitions and share his creativity with the public. He and his art are in such demand that he must be one of the youngest and most successful artists in the USA.
In 1995, we moved from London to Miami. From our holiday home on Poinciana Island in the Sunny Isle area, we would drive to South Beach for lunch and to see the pretty people walk along Lincoln Road.
We then learned that the artist had moved to a new larger gallery on Lincoln Road. The bold rainbow of color in his work still fascinates me. One can tell a Britto—with such a strong signature and personality—from a distance.
When I came for a photographic seminar with Edward Yanowitz above the shops on Lincoln Road, I would stop at the Britto gallery a few shops away. Looking at his great collection perked me up and excited me creatively for my class.
At this time, I was photographing a new book on superstar friends Pierce Brosnan, Roger Daltry, Vidal Sassoon, Paul Mitchell, John Paul Dejoria, and Picasso.
'For me, art can reflect the celebration of the simple and good things in life. This is most important to me!'—Romero Britto
One day later that year, I again visited his gallery. I asked the manager if I could photograph the artist. A date was set, and I was thrilled to be able to spend a half a day for just the two of us to talk about art and life.
Britto’s art reflects his optimistic faith in the world around him. Eileen Guggenheim wrote it best when stating, “Chagall’s floating lovers seem to foreshadow so many of Britto’s buoyant, exultant couples.”
Alluding to influences of early and modern masters, Britto’s pulsating colors, pop themes, and commanding compositions have led him to become the premier contemporary artist of his generation.
A scrap of newspaper or cardboard he could find might become his canvas in those days. Britto has an inordinate passion to excel and prospered academically. Still, his artistic nature eventually led him to seek experiences outside the classroom.
He moved to Miami and set up a studio open to the public. With an unshakable resolve and belief in his art, Britto spent the next few years exhibiting and attracting wide attention.
In 1989, Absolut Vodka selected Britto to design artwork with its logo. He joined a distinguished list of artist, such as Warhol and Haring, who were also commissioned for the famed vodka campaign.
Britto’s Miami Beach studio was quickly becoming known as the place for people of all ages and walks of life to meet and acquire a unique style of art. Today the artist is represented in galleries and museums on five continents, from Singapore to Dubai, to London and New York.
Opening in Paris at the Salle de Notre, Louvre Museum, in December 2008, Britto unveiled “Journey” to hundreds of guests. Other recent shows and projects are just as impressive: “Matisse channeling Picasso,” wrote the New York Times when Britto created a living canvas performed by the Cirque du Soleil in celebration of Super Bowl XLI.
His work on canvas has found the spotlight in numerous corporate commissions and noted art collections. Also an accomplished portrait artist, Britto’s works include likenesses of Art Basel founder Ernest Beyeler and the late Robert Rauschenberg.
Britto sculpture installations can be found at JFK airport, N.Y., and Hyde Park, London. His diverse résumé also includes several series of postage stamp designs for the United Nations Postal Administration and a postage stamp in Brazil that celebrates the 450th Anniversary of the city of Sao Paulo.
Britto considers himself an artistic activist for charitable organizations worldwide. He is an artist who believes “art is too important not to share.”
The artist donates to over 250 charitable organizations each year. Not a silent activist, Britto was selected to be a speaker for the arts at the ’06, ’07, and ’09 World Economic Forums in Davos, Switzerland.
Britto is committed to developing and supporting the powerful role art will continue to play in world issues.| Britto’s Journey |
| 2009—Participates on a panel of the World Economic Forum “Political Art: What Now?” Davos, Switzerland. 2008—Exhibits “Journey” at the Salle le Notre in the Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France. 2008—The United Nations Postal Administration releases “Sport for Peace,” a series of six Britto postage stamps to commemorate the Beijing Olympics. 2008—Invited to create “Milli the Bunny,” a 48-inch sculpture for the White House Easter egg hunt and a permanent part of the White House National Archives. 2008—Developer’s Diversified Realty sponsors a tour of 12 Britto monumental sculptures in 12 U.S. cities. 2007—Three Britto original works of Olympic gold medalists are part of the traveling museum show “Gong Zhen: Sport in Art” throughout Asia. 2007—Creates the largest artwork ever to be exhibited in Hyde Park, London, England; a sculpture is also shown on the Times Square Jumbo Tron, N.Y., on the day of the unveiling. 2007—Presents the portrait of Robert Rauschenberg to the artist in tribute at the 29th Annual Arts for Act gala, Florida. 2007—Collaborates with Cirque du Soleil for a Britto-themed theatrical production for the NFL Superbowl XLI pre-show. 2006—Unveils “The Apple” at its permanent home in New York’s JFK Airport in the American Airlines Terminal. 2006—Portrait of Ernest Beyeler accepted into the permanent collection of the Beyeler Foundation. 2005—Unveils “Miami’s Kids,” a monumental sculpture for the façade of the new Miami Children’s Museum. 2005—Appointed Florida Ambassador of the Arts. 2004—Commissioned to transform the deck of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s 9-billion-dollar “Mariner of the Seas” with his captivating artwork. 2004—Unveils “Welcome,” a 10-year project to complete the largest aluminum sculpture in the world, Miami. 2003—Absolut Vodka commissions Britto to design its 25th-anniversary bottle. |
