A native of Rio de Janeiro, Carolina Castro holds a Master’s in Art History (UERJ) and is an Art Therapist (POMAR Clinic) and Visual Artist. In 2024, she participated in exhibitions at the Hélio Oiticica Municipal Art Center (RJ), the Cultural Center of the Post Office (RJ), and Funarte BH, among others. She is currently studying Curatorship at CEFART (MG) and works at two centers for the NGO Agência do Bem (RJ). Her poetic spark lies at the intersection of Art History and Art Therapy, reflecting on the role and representation of Black people—especially Black women—as active agents of their own histories. Through imagery research in newspapers, magazines, inserts, and packaging, she seeks to produce works that encompass the relationships established between self-esteem, beauty, love, loneliness, stereotypes, and the objectification of Black bodies.
What themes do you prefer to explore in your works?
Even today, despite some progress, the figure of Black people is not the standard for what is conceptualized as beautiful. In popular inserts and magazines, the representation of these people remains minimal or stereotyped. In this sense, a "rescue" of the images of these people is necessary—people who often live with a sense of conflict and loneliness because they do not recognize themselves as figures worthy of admiration and love, especially in the case of Black women. In the words of bell hooks: "When we, Black women, experience the transformative force of love in our lives, we assume attitudes capable of completely altering existing social structures."
Thus, I am driven by the themes of beauty, love, and loneliness from a racialized perspective. My work proposes to explore and value the beauty and dilemmas of Black people, primarily Black women, through imagery research in print media and packaging. I seek to produce works that portray different layers of meaning and relocate the representations of Black people beyond scenarios of pain and subservience, exalting their achievements and narratives. These don't necessarily need to be historical figures, as beauty is also found in simple gestures, in routine, and in what might be seen as ordinary.
What are your sources of inspiration?
I am inspired by the combination of the books I read (including the Bible), the music I listen to, and the exhibitions and museums I visit. These experiences channel what I feel into the medium and guide the colors and materials that best correspond to the emotions experienced. At the same time, the creative process itself urges me to keep exploring the theme of a previously produced work, stimulating me to seek other inspirations in new references to expand my thematic approach, generating an organically renewing cycle. In short, I am inspired to create by living and feeling the various dimensions of Art presented in the faith I profess, the culture I access, and the routine I repeat.
Who are the artistic influences that have impacted your work?
The combination of different techniques, materials, and textures, as well as the social critique present in my works, is strongly influenced by my research into Synthetic Cubism and Pop Art, mainly because these movements work extensively with collage and assemblage. My productions also lean on references from Black Brazilian artists such as Rosana Paulino, Renata Felinto, and Silvana Mendes, who mix different languages to resignify or critique the images of Black women in contexts of enslavement and pain. They do this by reconstructing these figures in other scenarios and contexts, aiming to value their dignity and beauty.
What is the meaning of art in your life?
In seeking to deconstruct prejudices around and within me, I began to represent Black people in my artistic productions. In this journey toward a diverse beauty, I have come to understand and accept my own beauty, seeing that life and art are inseparable. I daily experience its capacity to generate both external and internal transformation.
The power of art surpasses purely conceptual and commercial discourse; even though it can be a means of livelihood, it is not a mere product. Art is life, voice, healing, inspiration, and perspiration; it is a path to connection with God and with others. Art has been the channel through which I can be whole and transmit my truest self, feeling and living compassion for the world's ills, sharing dreams, sorrows, strength, and weaknesses in a sincere and—why not—beautiful way.
What is the role of the artist in today's society?
We live in a society deeply marked by images, whether on social media, in product consumption, or even as a parameter for evaluating people. Images have become influencers of tastes and choices. Visual Arts, in this sense, efficiently communicate messages through symbols and signs that attract image consumers. More than words, these messages affect people directly or indirectly and can be grasped consciously or unconsciously.
From this perspective, which considers Art as discourse, the artist can build narratives beyond their personal poetics. Through themes that cross through them and society, the artist gives visibility to relevant issues, denounces injustices, highlights rights, gives voice to marginalized populations, and—why not—also brings comfort and delight to the soul.
