The Paulista floor of Mirthes Bernardes

Mirthes dos Santos Pinto, known artistically as Mirthes Bernardes, was born in Barretos, in the interior of São Paulo, in 1934. Her education was multifaceted, blending pedagogy, social work, and an extensive pursuit of knowledge in the visual arts and design. She graduated in Pedagogy and Social Work from PUC-SP, but her intellectual restlessness led her to delve into various artistic techniques — ceramics, sculpture, oil painting, enamel on metals, and working with fibers.

This multidisciplinary profile is essential to understanding her work: she was not just an artist, but a professional who viewed the urban environment as a canvas and architecture as an invitation to aesthetic and functional experimentation.

Career and Involvement in the World of Architecture

In the 1960s, Mirthes worked as an architectural draftsman at the Public Works Department of the City of São Paulo, a period when the city was undergoing a significant process of modernization and accelerated growth, especially under the administration of Jânio Quadros and later Faria Lima. It was a time when modernist Paulista architecture sought to consolidate its own identity, and functionalist aesthetics found space to engage with local artistic manifestations.

However, the professional environment was still predominantly male, and women in technical or creative positions in the fields of architecture and urbanism were rare and undervalued. Mirthes' work, therefore, already stood out for its boldness and ability to engage with the new directions of the city.

The Competition and the Birth of the "Piso Paulista"

In 1965, the City Hall of São Paulo, under Faria Lima's administration, launched a competition to create a sidewalk paving that could have its own identity, reflecting the culture and geography of the state. There was a clear demand: to create an urban element that was not only functional but also representative of the city and the state.

Mirthes, then still a public servant, made a sketch inspired by the maps of the State of São Paulo, using geometric shapes that evoked the urban grid and territorial boundaries. Her boss quickly recognized the strength of the design and encouraged her to submit it for the competition.

Among other more figurative proposals — such as feet walking or coffee beans, traditional symbols of the state — the simplicity and geometric abstraction of Mirthes' design were awarded. The pattern allowed for a modular, versatile, and deeply symbolic reproduction, in addition to engaging with the modernist aesthetics of the time.

The Importance of the Piso Paulista

Present in dozens of sidewalks, it becomes a visual language instantly recognized by residents and visitors, almost a "trademark" of the city. By uniting functionality and aesthetic expression, Mirthes inaugurated a discussion about the role of art in urban space. The pavement is not just for walking — it is to recognize the city, to integrate art and everyday life.

Interestingly, despite the omnipresence of the pattern, Mirthes never received royalties or significant institutional recognition for its creation. This reveals a sad reality of invisibility that many women artists and designers have faced (and continue to face), especially when working in public spaces and in traditionally male professions.

Legacy

In addition to the pavement, Mirthes Bernardes maintained a plural career, with national and international exhibitions, awards, and work in various techniques. Her name is recorded in important collections and museums, but it is the "Piso Paulista" that remains her most visible and accessible legacy — even though many are unaware of her authorship.

Her work has also been a reference for Brazilian urban design, inspiring debates about identity, authorship, and the role of women in arts and architecture. Mirthes embodies the intersection of art, architecture, and citizenship.

In the challenge of making São Paulo walk with identity, Mirthes created not only a graphic pattern but a symbol of creative and feminine resistance in a constantly transforming city.