"We are not just one thing, we are a prism of culture. My work celebrates this diversity—not explicitly, but with fantasy—in an attempt to create a narrative that is as complicated and elusive as reality."
Studded with colorful rhinestones and brimming with elaborate layers of Japanese paper, María Berrío’s Untitled is a mythological wonderland rooted in the artist’s experience of migration and her dedication to chronicling the stories of the women of Colombia and greater Latinx community. Executed in 2015 preceding Berrío’s groundbreaking The Harmony of the Spheres series, Untitled features a poised female guide immersed in the natural world, surrounded by owls, lush greenery, and a dark starry sky with dazzling watercolor detail. Partly inspired by her childhood memories growing up in Bogotá, the work calls upon South American folklore to expand narratives of present-day politics using cultural symbols, such as the owls, to represent freedom. As seen in Untitled, many of Berrío’s subjects are depicted as if in preparation for an arduous journey, adorned with lavish cloaked garments reminiscent of Inca tunics and wearing expressions of unwavering determination. Awarded the prestigious Joan Mitchell Fellowship in 2021 and the current subject of a major solo exhibition at ICA Boston which opened in February 2023, Berrío’s work is also included in the permanent collections of multiple institutions, including Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville; National Gallery of Art; Washington D.C.; Philadelphia Museum of Art; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. A harmonious depiction of man and nature, Untitled presents a kaleidoscopic narrative of independent women treading a path towards freedom.
Market Precedent: María Berrío
In both style and substance Berrío is inspired by the rich, fantastical narratives of the Surrealists and luminously embellished Viennese Secessionist works of Gustav Klimt. Berrío’s practice aligns with the Surrealists’ instinctive style and unconscious motivation, using unique details and intricate materials to elaborate upon personal anecdotes. Similar to Berrío’s compositions, Frida Kahlo’s intimate, self-mythologizing scenes rich with symbolism provide a dreamlike escape from reality. Klimt is also a significant influence, with his depictions of female figures exquisitely adorned with floral motifs and surrounded by meditative, ornate landscapes. Writing about Berrío’s impressive oeuvre in a fashion reminiscent of Klimt, Sharon Mizota notes, “The surfaces look faceted, almost jewel-like… The pictures are literally patchworks, assembled from bits and pieces. They feel of this world but also improbable, as if held together by magic.” (Sharon Mizota, “Review: María Berrío’s dream-like collages deploy paper like paint,” Los Angeles Times, June 17, 2019 (online))
Berrío centers women in her compositions, positioning them in a manner akin to Mother Nature and with an otherworldliness that personifies the vulnerable, compassionate, and courageous aspects of womanhood. Critical to Berrío’s practice is her reflection on cross-cultural connections and perilous artificial borders which divide beautiful landscapes. Berrío’s narratives have inextricable links to her upbringing yet exemplify universal qualities of defiance and hope; “There was a lot of political and social upheaval in Bogotá when I was growing up,” Berrío explains. “For our safety we lived very small and sheltered lives and escaped to our country farm on the weekends. Out in nature, I was able to play freely and let my imagination roam.” (Maria Berrío interviewed by Amanda Quinn Olivar, Curator, 25 July 2019 (online)) Untitled is permeated by the influence of folklore, with the landscape slowly seeping into the woman’s garments and bundles of painterly owl feathers poking out from her shoulders. Despite the daunting course in her way, Berrío’s female subject gracefully commands the surrounding natural environment.
Created using the artist’s signature paper-collage technique, Untitled is a contemporary testament to the enduring effect of global craft traditions. Beginning with a sketch, Berrío layers unique segments of paper, often hundreds of layers thick and sourced from countries of the Global South, into an imaginative utopia of vibrant colors and complex patterns. Untitled is a remarkable example of this technique, with overlapping florals of handmade Japanese paper richly adorning the female figure. Birds are characteristic inclusions in Berrío’s practice which signify freedom; three owls are rendered here with deep brown and black tones of paint layered over stark white, emphasizing a lush, quill-like texture. Berrío notes, “My philosophy is to create beauty and show that out of chaos, hope can rise. Beauty can make challenging ideas not only more pleasing to behold, but also more easily understood and accepted. My work grapples with the ambiguous and unknowable aspects of life. I hope that the beauty in the work allows you to see the beauty in the difficult and gives you a reason to try, a reason to live.” (Ibid.)
“My philosophy is to create beauty and show that out of chaos, hope can rise. Beauty can make challenging ideas not only more pleasing to behold, but also more easily understood and accepted. My work grapples with the ambiguous and unknowable aspects of life. I hope that the beauty in the work allows you to see the beauty in the difficult and gives you a reason to try, a reason to live.”
Berrío’s alluring Untitled recalls South American folklore to exhibit a nuanced narrative of the Latinx experience, not just one of migration, but one of cultural and ecological difference which improve and enrich humanity. In reference to the Latinx community, Berrío states, “We are not just one thing, we are a prism of culture. My work celebrates this diversity—not explicitly, but with fantasy—in an attempt to create a narrative that is as complicated and elusive as reality.” (Maria Berrio quoted in: C.J. Bartunek, “As Complicated and Elusive as Reality,” The Georgia Review, Spring 2019 (online)) Untitled is a remarkable example from Berrío’s oeuvre, radiating with feminine energy, hope, and the transcendence of the human soul from its earthly form.
