'Royal (Caribbean) Bear', 2010
Exclusive Cruise Line Collectible Teddy Bear Sculpture
Britto was born in the small, fishing village of Recife, Brazil, in 1963. Accepting a friend's invitation, Romero traveled to Miami where he sold his art on the streets of Coconut Grove until being represented by the highly respected gallery owner, Berenice Steiner. Through his vibrant colors, playful themes and hard-edged compositions, Romero Britto captures the attention of both youthful spirits and educated art collectors. Easily recognized, Britto's work is unmistakable bold, modern and colorful. His style combines the mass cultural references of Pop Art with the intricate compositional qualities of cubism. Most distinctive is the incorporation of his Britto signature as a design element. Today, Romero Britto is represented in galleries on five continents and has had several museum exhibits in the U.S., Europe and South America. His paintings and sculptures can currently be seen in Monte Carlo, France, Sao Paulo, Germany, Dubai, China and Switzerland among other countries.
Romero Britto's paintings have been presented to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Prime Minister of Ireland, Bertie Ahern. He has been introduced to President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice by his good friend, Columba Bush, wife of Florida Governor Jeb Bush after receiving a private lunch invitation to the White House. In 2006, he was invited to speak on two panels at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Other invitees included U2's Bono, artists Christo and Jean-Claude, actors Michael Douglas and Angelina Jolie, Professor Elie Wiesel, and curator with New York's Museum of Modern Art, Paola Antonelli. Britto was the youngest artist at the 2006 Forum and one of only two artists from the U.S. He was also asked to speak at the 2007 Forum.
Romero's commissioned monumental sculpture this year commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Montreux Jazz Festival. Britto's portrait of legendary art dealer and the founder of Art Basel, Ernst Beyeler, now hangs at Fondation Beyeler, the Swiss museum that also houses the works of Klee, Cézanne, Picasso, Monet, Matisse and Giacometti. In December 2005, Britto joined the international short list of artists selected to participate in the Florence Biennale and will do so again in 2006. He has been named the state of Florida's Ambassador of the Arts. In 2004, his 'Welcome' sculpture, the world's largest aluminum sculpture, was erected at Dadeland station in Miami.
In June 2008, a tour of 12 Romero Britto monumental sculptures kicked-off to great fanfare in Littleton, CO. Over the next year, the tour will travel to eleven U.S. cities. Stops include Chicago, IL; Pittsburgh, PA, Charlotte, NC, Miami, FL, San Antonio, TX, Phoenix, AZ and Pasadena, CA, to name just a few. For more information about the tour, please visit http://www.brittotoursamerica.com.
In July 2008, the United Nations Postal Administration released a stamp collection created by Romero commemorating the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The stamp collection is based on 7 of Romero’s original paintings depicting athletes participating in Olympic sports such as swimming and gymnastics. In addition, Romero’s monumental heart sculpture 'For You' will be installed at the VIP Welcome Center at the Beijing Olympics.
'Romero Britto: A Britto Celebration!!' was on view at the Coral Springs Museum of Art, Coral Springs, FL (2009) and 'Romero Britto and Dina Podolsky' at the Opera Gallery, New York, NY (2009).
In July 2011, the Best Buddies Friendship Bear created by Romero Britto was dedicated to the city of Berlin by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in honor of people with intellectual disabilities who inspire their communities worldwide. The Anschutz Entertainment Group is displaying the sculpture in front of the O2 World Arena in Berlin's popular Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough. The Best Buddies Friendship Bear is 12 feet tall and sits on a 5 foot base, and weighs approximately 4000 lbs.