Prince William And Kate Middleton 

Curator: Romero Britto presents us with "Prince William And Kate Middleton", rendered in his signature vibrant pop art style. My immediate response is it’s pure confection—a royal confection! Editor: Indeed, its joyful exuberance is undeniable. Focusing on the process, though, look at the flat planes of bold color bounded by thick black outlines. Britto's practice recalls mass production techniques: screen printing and other processes where simplification is essential, reflecting the art of the everyday. Curator: Mass appeal, certainly, but within those stylized forms reside potent symbols. Notice the small heart motifs on each cheek, repeated decorative emblems of affection and romance appropriate for a royal couple. Editor: Those hearts read as simple decorations at first glance. Consider the layers, though. Britto’s works like this are commercially successful, sold as prints, merchandise. It presents the iconography of monarchy, diluted and made palatable for the mass consumer. Curator: I agree the monarchy itself has become a brand in many ways. Yet, the heart symbol transcends commercialization, functioning as shorthand for love and admiration. Britto offers us a contemporary take on court portraiture, albeit through a very democratized, and almost cartoon-like lens. Editor: Yes, that “cartoon-like” quality pushes me back to the discussion around high art. Is it that, or something that is easily reproduced at scale? Consider it more broadly. His images celebrate fame. The creation of these images relies heavily on his studio, his employees who manufacture them, often at significant cost for customers buying the work and the reproductions. Curator: True. Yet those easily reproduced emblems connect with viewers, allowing us all to partake, to dream, even for a moment, about fairytale romance and majesty. This artist captures not just portraits, but a cultural moment, in turn rendering iconography more immediate. Editor: I think, considering Britto's extensive art production beyond painting into sculpture and merchandise, that his work reflects our world's consumption habits perhaps better than expected. It shows us not simply royals, but how the production and labor meet the demands for celebrity representation. Curator: A worthwhile consideration. It encourages us to appreciate how artwork's production touches everyone from factory workers to consumers, with imagery touching cultural icons, and allowing a wider world audience in part through production scale to share these dreams and ideals together.