Before Mauro de Carvalho came to the United States, he spent part of his childhood on Cape Verde Island. De Carvalho earned his B.F.A. in painting from Rhode Island College. He uses pop culture cartoons as a backdrop to express his idea in his paintings.
My interest in cartoons, anime, and pop culture has been a significant part of my childhood and has greatly influenced my artwork. The small studies of enamel on scrap paper are experiments featuring the block character I created. My blocky avatar, with its plug-like "ears," represents the artist's desire to make a toy for entertainment and interaction. Popular and familiar characters from classic cartoons, contemporary animations, and anime are touching, holding, reacting to, and expressing genuine emotions toward a foreign creation placed within their realm.
