We were lucky to catch up with Maritza Caneca recently and have shared our conversation below.

Maritza, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I embarked on my artistic career back in 1986 within the realm of cinema, where I broke new ground as the first female cinematographer in Brazil, navigating a predominantly male landscape. Over the span of 27 years immersed in the world of cinema, I took a pivotal turn in 2013, transitioning from the cinematic realm to explore a solo voyage into the realm of visual arts. My artistic journey began with photography on cotton paper and gradually expanded into various other mediums, such as ceramics, photomontages, cyanotype, installations, and projections.

From the outset, my artistic curiosity gravitated towards swimming pools, becoming a focal point of my creative exploration. Whenever I travel, my lens is drawn to capturing two distinct swimming pools—a practice that has become integral to my artistic process. For a decade now, I’ve been on a quest to photograph these captivating aquatic spaces across the globe. In 2018, I ventured to Budapest, renowned for its therapeutic thermal waters abundant in calcium, ideal for treating conditions like arthritis. Drawing upon my filmmaker’s perspective, I translated my fascination into captivating video art as part of the Budapest Project.

One aspect of my artistic endeavors that particularly excites me involves public projects that seamlessly intertwine art within local communities. In 2017, I built a mosaic installation on the iconic pool at the Belmond Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro. This mosaic consisted of 78 printed ceramic tiles depicting the hotel’s original pool. In 2020, amidst the pandemic, I created a large, abstract mural using square prints of photographs taken at Charles Hadley Park Pool in Liberty City, Gibson Park Pool in Overtown, and Williams Park Pool in Wynwood. All of these facilities are operated by the City of Miami Parks & Recreation Department, open to local residents, and held in the public trust.

The mural was located in Wynwood, and the project aimed to foster greater connectivity by promoting communal resources in and around our neighborhood.”

During Art Basel 2022, I received the esteemed public award for an outdoor projection titled “NO VACANCY.” 

Another remarkable undertaking involved a sculptural pool “Transitory Landscapes “ wherein I dyed the water a striking red, serving as a poignant inquiry into climate change. Accompanied by 20 floating round mirrors, this installation aimed to mirror and amplify the essence of nature while evoking a sense of the passage of time.

The essence of my creative process lies in its intrinsic connection to time. Embracing the philosophy that art is a journey, I’ve come to value the significance of both the process and its inherent timing. Each project I’ve embarked upon has not only left an indelible mark on my artistic portfolio but has also profoundly influenced my personal growth. I wouldn’t do anything differently.

Maritza, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Maritza Caneca I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
I live in Miami since 2014

I started my artist career in 1986 working in cinema, being the first female cinematographer in Brazil, in a completely male universe.

In 2013 I decided to change universe, leaving the seventh art (cinema) for a solo flight in the plastic arts. I started with photography printed on cotton paper, moving on to ceramics, photomontages, cyanotype, installations, projections…

My inspirations are these art masters David Hockney, Edward Hopper, Henri Matisse, Yayoi Kusama, Robert Smithson, Donald Judd. ..

My mission is to bring peace to this world through art. My goal is to make my work touch people so that they also rethink the climate issue.

I’m very focused on what I do, when I start I go until the end. I have a commitment to myself.

Whenever I traveled I had to photograph two swimming pools. This investigation was very good to do.

I did some public projects always involving art in the local community.
The last one I did was during Artbasel 2022, where I won the public award with an outdoor projection NO VACANCY.

A large mosaic reminiscent of tiles I photographed during the pandemic in Wynwood.

Another work I did was a sculptural pool, in which I dye the pool water red, questioning global warming, and at the same time with 20 floating round mirrors to reflect nature and give the feeling of time passing.
In 2018 and 2019 I went especially to Budapest, a city known for its thermal waters, rich in calcium and good for treating arthritis.

In all, I spent 10 days photographing these wonderful pools that I loved so much.
With my eyes as a filmmaker, I made some video arts for this project.
I have already exhibited my works in museums, galleries and fairs.

How did you build your audience on social media?

In my experience, I’ve found that building an audience is best achieved through the consistent creation of themed series. In my particular case, my focus has revolved around the captivating world of swimming pools. By curating a strong body of work centered on this theme, I’ve been able to captivate and engage a diverse audience.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I view art as a vessel to infuse a touch of serenity into the world. I’ve discovered that water possesses a unique ability to bestow tranquility upon me, and I hold the belief that its soothing influence can resonate with others as well. This perspective has driven my fascination with swimming pools, as they encapsulate this essence of calming waters. However, it has become increasingly apparent that the tranquility I find in waters stands in stark contrast to the current state of our natural water sources. The fragility of our planet, epitomized by the escalating reality of climate change, is a truth that confronts us daily. Through my artistic endeavors, I’ve embraced a dual mission – not only to celebrate the inherent peace of water but also to spotlight the urgency of climate change. An emblematic instance of this mission is my sculptural pool project at Casa Cor in Brazil in 2022. With water dyed a vivid red, the installation serves as a poignant exploration of climate change. Complemented by 20 floating circular mirrors, it embodies nature’s essence while evoking the passage of time.

Contact Info:

• Portfolio: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=ff6fbb97ca&attid=0.1.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1776148961678767890&th=18a62611f90ab712&view=att&disp=inline
• Website: www.maritzacaneca.carbonmade.com
• Instagram: maritzacaneca
• Facebook: Maritza Caneca
• Youtube: maritzacaneca piscinas
• +1 786 603 4285  ( Miami )
  +55 21 999 96 2010 ( Rio de Janeiro)
• www.bacfl.org  ( Miami)
  www.anitaschwartz.com.br ( Rio de Janeiro )

Image Credits
own file: picture 1 Maritza Caneca picture 2 Maritza Caneca picture 3 Maritza Caneca picture 4 Maritza Caneca picture 5 Maritza Caneca picture 6 Maritza Caneca picture 7 Maritza Caneca picture 8 Maritza Caneca