Benedita da Silva

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Benedita da Silva
First Black and Female Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro
(1942 - )
Brazil

At the age of 40, Benedita da Silva received her high-school diploma and attended college at the same time as her then 20-year-old daughter. In 1994, voters elected her to the Senate, becoming the first female senator in Brazil. In 2002, Vice Governor da Silva assumed the governorship of the State of Rio de Janeiro to become the first woman and the first Black to occupy the office.

“I chose to combine a mixed media format, using graphite pencil, watercolor, and acrylic paint on an archival bond paper. I find this to be an excellent material combination for drawing and painting and where the materials complement each other. This is all highlighted in an expressionistic style with the background done in minimal color field to counter the energetic line work of the portrait, all brought together by my love for an intense color palette, which in this case, coincidentally mirror the Brazilian Flag.”

- Artist Cedric Baker

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