ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A local artist hopes her new collection helps deconstruct myths about the transgender community.
Easton artist Arta Brito's exhibition "ArtaThrough the Lookingglass" tells the story of a transgender woman finding her place in the world.
She will discuss the collection, alongside Mark Wonsidler, curator of exhibitions and collections at Lehigh University, on Saturday, Jan. 27. The free event will be held at the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, 522 W. Maple St., Allentown.
One of the her favorite pieces, "What is a Trans Woman But a Knight in Shining Armor," depicts a person adorned in armor, ready to defend.
In the corner of the black-and-white charcoal piece — it took a year for Brito to draw and mount it — rests a moon and a person crying in the center.
It's one of many symbols found in Brito's art — a compelling display of her experiences with identity transition and the history of cultural censorship and prejudice against transgender people.
The 30-year-old, who emigrated to America from Ecuador as a young child, dives into the negative impact of European colonization, specifically against indigenous cultures that were known to worship and accept multiple gender identities.
"Trans people are just people, and we've been here since the beginning of time. There are trans-individuals who [lived] back in the day long before there were civilizations," Brito said. "They lived under monarchies and other matrilineal societies where women had a lot of say.
"Years later, when women were considered property, transgender people were left out of the picture because they didn't fit the kind of lifestyle that Europeans wanted during that time period."
Art 'alleviates my anxieties'
Brito started working as a professional artist in 2012 and began her gender transition in 2020. The 30-year-old is a graduate of Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts in Bethlehem.
Known for her insightful charcoal portraits, she worked at Jeff Koons' studio in New York City from 2014 to 2016. She has shown work in several group and solo exhibitions, including permanent collections at Lehigh University Art Galleries in Bethlehem and Hunterdon Art Museum in Clinton, New Jersey.
"My art is a way for me to alleviate my anxieties and tensions about the social pressures that come with being a transgender individual in today's world and what that looks like."Arta Brito
Still, this new collection, she said, feels as if it's a "first."
The series, Brito explains, celebrates the transformation of her body in its new-found femininity.
"In some ways, I'm using this art to get through the day," she said. "The trans-experience isn't an easy one. It's been a tough adjustment. I don't always love it. I'm happy with my body, and the hormone treatment, but that doesn't mean that [life is perfect].
"My art is a way for me to alleviate my anxieties and tensions about the social pressures that come with being a transgender individual in today's world, and what that looks like."
Organizers suggest RVSP'ing to the Bradbury-Sullivan showing. To learn more, click here.
