María Berrío
I recently discovered the vibrant work of María Berrío through this Hyperallergic review entitled: “‘These Are the Women I Want to Be’: María Berrío’s Visions of Displacement.” Inspired by Latin American Realism, narratives of displacement, and the nonhuman environment, Berrío creates giant collages using watercolor and decorative paper sourced from Japan and elsewhere.
María Berrío (b. 1982) was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and spent much of her childhood living on her family’s mountainside farm where she developed a unique and lasting connection to nature. At eighteen Berrío relocated to New York and received her BFA at Parsons School of Design in 2004, followed by her MFA at the School of Visual Arts in 2007.
Berrío describes the women in her work thus: “They are embodied ideals of femininity. The ghostly pallor of their skin suggests an otherworldliness; they appear to be more spirit that flesh. These are the women I want to be: strong, vulnerable, compassionate, courageous, and in harmony with themselves and nature. They combine the elements of women who are typically thought of as powerful – the captains of industry, resolute politicians, fiery activists – with the traits of those who are not usually thought of as such, thereby underlining the common force found in all women. The female soldier fighting on the front lines is of interest, but so too is the mother who finds a way to feed her children and sing them to sleep amid bombing campaigns and in the ruins of cities. To truly ennoble womanhood, we must discover and appreciate the beauty in every action, big or small.”
Genipa 2019
collage with Japanese paper and watercolor paint on canvas, 60 x 72 inches
Cricket Song 2017
Japanese paper on canvas
The Dream of Flight 2019
collage with Japanese paper and watercolor paint on canvas, 60 x 72 inches