Today we’d like to introduce you to Miranda Pantano.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Art is the pathway I use to connect to deeper levels of my soul. Painting expresses the thoughts in my mind that words sometimes can’t describe.
I am an Italian-American mixed media street artist currently living in Miami. I was introduced to the art world walking the streets of Rome, Italy, where I would read graffitied walls on my way to class. Throughout my travels, I always made it a point to hunt for local street art, as it made me feel more connected to the city I was discovering. To me, street art told the raw truth of the “Average Joe/Joanne” living in that city, and this was a story that I found far more interesting than standing in long touristic lines.
I eventually began by creating a blog that incorporated photographs of street art and graffiti I took along my journey, pairing it with poetry about how I was feeling in those particular moments. Feeling inspired by the colors, drips and splattered paint, I had the urge in me to pick up a paintbrush. After a year of being self-taught, I moved to Miami and was fortunate enough to have met Rigo Leon, a Cuban artist who became my mentor. Over the past few years, I been involved in local exhibitions and murals here in Miami, and have been part of several street art campaigns abroad. My art has evolved into fashion, consisting of clothing and merchandise that can be purchased through my website ercervello.com.
As an artist, I seek constant evolution and use my creativity to influence my fashion and graphic design work. As an underlying principle, I create fun/pop yet meaningful art that ignites an instant connection through cultural iconography. I aspire to provide a space within my canvases filled with color and wonder, allowing viewers to get lost in that space and feel inspired.
Please tell us about your art.
I often refer to my art as “urban” as it is inspired by street art, and is composed of many elements, varying from graphic design, wheat paste, acrylic, spray paint, markers, stencils, and magazine collages. My art often includes bubble letters, paint drips and graffiti scribbled words— finishing touches that give it a “street” effect. I use bright, colorful backgrounds, adding multiple layers to make each piece intriguing and unique.
I had always been a wheatpaste artist as a little girl but never really understood that until recently. What once used to consist of me glueing pictures to my journal covers has now evolved into wheatpaste art on canvases and walls.
My logo/tag is “Er Cervello,” which means “the brain” in Roman dialect. Er Cervello was born from a dream I had in 2015 of a brain smoking a cigarette while talking to me. The brain was female, she was bold and funny and eventually became my alter ego after I made my first attempt to pick up a paintbrush. I often use Er Cervello in my art to make provocative statements about life and society, as well as spirituality and health.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
Attend exhibitions/shows so that you can meet other artists and learn about what is going on in the community. Reach out through Instagram.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
They can visit my Instagram page @er_cervello or go to my website www.ercervello.com.
My street art can also be found in Wynwood and in Trastevere, Rome.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ercervello.com
- Email: mira.pantano@gmail.com
- Instagram: @er_cervello
Image Credit:
THE LOUIS COLLECTION
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
