Maria Christina Brito'S Art: Identity Lost And Found

Maria Christina Brito was a Cuban-American artist that specialized in painting, sculpture and installations. Maria Christina Brito was born in Havana, Cuba during the year of 1947. In 1947, Cuba was a communist country and many Cubans were fleeing the island. At the age of 13, Brito and her younger brother fled Cuba through Operation Pedro Pan or sometimes referred to Operation Peter Pan. Operation Pedro Pan (or Peter Pan) was similar to the Underground Railroad. The purposes of both were to aid in saving those being oppressed from oppression. In Operation Pedro Pan, Children were the ones being moved from communist Cuba to freedom in Miami, Florida. Once Brito arrived in Cuban, her parent came soon after. They lived in a vibrant and flourishing Cuban immigrant community.

The Cuban roots were heavily intertwined in the community. She later went on and received her degree in studio art and art education fromFlorida International University and then earned her graduate degree at the University of Miami. She then went to teach at Barry University which is located in Miami, Florida. Over the years, Brito has had worldwide recognition for her work because of the uniqueness and message itportrays. She was commissioned to create a sculpture for the Olympic Sculpture Park in SouthKorea. Not only did she receive that opportunity, but she also received grants, awards and her own showcases even a display at a showcase that travels the world. Maria Brito’s art was made out of items that most artist would commonly not use. She used items from others’ “trash” and made them into works of art. She used materials such as facets, pipes, electrical cords, book even household furniture. She used this type of material to create art that spoke up to people. This is how Brito influence individuals especially her fellow Florida natives.

Throughout her artwork, she blended together the Cuban and American artistic tradition but in a truly individualistic way. In her art, she showed the struggle of sadness from those who had to leave Cuba and she expressed the struggle of becoming accustomed to a new country. She knew she could influence people through showing identity through the artwork with the use of household and common items. She used these items to show her themes. Brito’s purpose and influence was to help individuals embrace their identity and aid them in finding theirs through art or other visual medias.

Her piece entitled “Whitewash” was one of her piece that she particularly created to inspire, and aid individuals open up and make a universal experience out of the piece. Whitewash was not the only piece that Brito used to continue her search and finding of identity, but myriads of her pieces display themes of displacement, loss and search of identity as well. Her influence was pushed by common items which glorified her artwork and aided in communicating her theme. Her installation led to identity solidification in the individuals who needed to find themselves.