http://www.zihala.com/stencil-faith/
Brazilian Urban Art: From Street to Chic
There has always been something fascinating about the allure of Brazilian culture that has caused people from around the world to want to latch on to its magic. From Carnival to Bossa Nova to Victoria’s Secret models—the world wants what Brazil has. When it comes to urban art (commonly referred to as “street” art), Brazil is home to some of the most innovative and inspiring artists to date. The definition of street art, known by some as Graffiti, is “a Form of visual communication involving the unauthorized marking of public space by an individual or group.”
It is true that in cities around the world, many artists have risked delinquency for years in order to display their works. In Brazil, however, authorities stay hushed in light of the cultural value that can be seen in these artistic displays. After having gained recognition in the streets, these artists are quickly translating their works into collectable pieces such as paintings, prints, photos, fashion and more. This new generation of talent has garnered a legion of faithful and surprisingly young followers, and in turn is becoming a focus point in the ever-expanding Latin American art scene.
When Brazilian fashion marketing wiz Baixo Ribeiro took notice of his young son’s collection of local urban artwork, he thought: there is more to this than graffiti. Having spent years incorporating local street artists into his network of fashion moguls, Mr. Ribeiro took the next logical step and founded urban art gallery Choque Cultural. Since 2000 the gallery has featured the works of some of the city’s finest street artists and has gained international acclaim as being one of the most unique and inspiring galleries in São Paulo.
According to Mr. Ribeiro, there couldn’t be a better time to take notice of the street art movement. Specifically, he notes that Brazilian artists have an energy that is quite distinct from other common street art cultures. European and even Argentine street artists have a tendency to focus on design processes, directing much of their energies towards stenciling and similar techniques. Brazilian artists, while incorporating some of these practices, pride themselves in their individuality and apply more of a manual tradition to their street works. This sense of artistry is what makes these young “Paulistas” stand out in the world of urban art.
With big name brands such as Nike working alongside young Brazilian street artists to design campaigns and merchandise, it is only a matter of time before this urban uprising becomes a bona fide art form. Brazilian artist Titi Freak recently gained a Nike sportswear sponsorship, which has helped him to publish his first book, the 200-page Freak, which is available at Choque Cultural gallery. Furthermore, in June of 2009, Nike launched “Movimento Canarinho” – a 100% Brazilian campaign inspired by Brazilian street art and street soccer. The turn around will be seen from the sales of a limited-edition product line inspired by the Brazilian street culture. Now is the time for investors to think outside of the box by sponsoring a young talent, commissioning a mural, or even starting a product line featuring “street design.” When it comes to investment potential, we are really just beginning to see the turn around in this area. At first glance it would appear that young collectors of street art have little knowledge of their acquisitions. Their impulse to purchase is do to the fact that they identify with the work from an artistic or cultural standpoint. Mr. Ribeiro mentioned one such young collector who entered his gallery not long ago with a poster that he had purchased at $60 reales. That same work is now worth nearly three times the price and will surely continue to acquire value.
With Brazilian street art gaining global recognition, major galleries are beginning to take notice and feature exhibits. The Jonathan Levine Gallery in Manhattan recently featured the works of two popular artists from São Paulo, Titi Freak and Stephan Doitshinoff. All major brand names aside, there is an obvious social movement to this work, an up-leveling in consciousness, if you will. The aforementioned Stephan Doitschinoff, whose street alias is “Calma” is São Paulo born and after traveling abroad and returning to the rural Brazilian countryside of Bahia, felt inspired to “paint the city.” His aim was not to make money or gain fame; like most street artists, he was inspired by the idea of creating beauty in the midst of poverty and despair. He began by asking a couple townspeople if they wouldn’t mind him painting the sides of their homes with his unique and symbolic murals. Once the people of the town realized that all this man truly desired was space, they offered up their streets, homes, cemeteries and even chapels into the hands of this inspired visionary. The town’s Afro-Brazilian folklore began to intermingle with Mr. Doitschinoff’s metaphoric imagery, along with bursts of contemporary pop culture and pagan and alchemical symbolism. The work of this young artist is now featured in galleries around the world, and a book of his work has been published and sold internationally.
Visit Choque Cultural for news and updates on São Paulo’s most up and coming artists:
http://choquecultural.com.br/
About the Author
The Alternative Latin Investor staff is comprised of finance and journalism professionals who create articles through a process of research, data gathering, and industry interviews in order to provide unique content regarding alternative asset investment within the Latin American region. For more information visit us at www.alternativelatininvestor.com
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