Friday ProFile: Hyuro

Moving is never easy, and moving internationally can be even more difficult. From visas and paperwork to apartment and job-hunting, it’s never simple to start over. However, sometimes a chance encounter can lead to completely new opportunities. Originally from Argentina, Hyuro moved to Spain ten years ago and met up with Spanish street artist Escif. This serendipitous meeting led to a friendship that changed Hyuro’s world.

“I’ve been painting for a while,” he says, “but never on walls. I always loved mural art, though. When I met Escif, I started getting out there. Most of my initial inspiration came from him. Later on, I discovered my own style and I’m still working on it, but I would say that he introduced me to street art.” Sometimes, it’s more fun working with friends. “I like to work on my own because it’s easier to do what you’re used to,” he says. “But sometimes I paint with Escif. I found that there’s much to learn from painting with someone. I enjoy that part.”
Since painting on the streets is new to Hyuro, he still harbors some concerns each time he goes out. “I am still discovering myself in this new way, so many of my initial fears still exist. I don’t think I’ve got my style down yet, but I can say I’m in the process of finding it.” Fortunately, Escif’s guidance kept Hyuro out of trouble and he’s yet to experience any serious run-ins. “I was lucky to start by the hand of someone with so much experience,” he admits. “I guess he looked after me in that way.”
The pre-painting nerves and concerns are totally worth it in the end. Hyuro confesses, “I think what seduces me the most about street art is being a part of the city, being able to express yourself on the walls and the direct communication you get with people when you’re transmitting your thoughts and ideas out there.”
Escif’s influence ultimately impacted the course of Hyuro’s life; he doesn’t see himself straying from street art any time soon. “I think in general, I am happy with myself when I look back,” he reflects. “Facing the future, I don’t have any particular plans. For the moment, I’m working on a personal project and continuing to enjoy this new world that I discovered.” No matter what he’s doing, he explains, “I cannot tell when I am or when I am not an artist. In this moment of my life, most of the things that I do involve art.”
Gracias, Hyuro! For more photos, take a look at his Flickr. That's all for now. I'm off to explore NYC for the weekend. Hopefully, the rain will hold off and many outdoor adventures will occur.

May 2010: E-mail Catch-up

I wouldn't be able to run this blog without my friends. They don't get upset when I run off and photograph things. Even if I bore them with talk of street art, they don't show it. One of the sweetest gestures is when they send me e-mails about street art because the piece made them think of me. Amazing! Today, my friends Ben, Elif, Will, and Hannah check in from CT, Istanbul, NYC, and Paris to share notes, photos, and video clips. Much love!

"Thought you would enjoy! Here's a video of him explaining what will be in the show. Awesome!--Ben"

"Hey, I found this on the street in Istanbul yesterday. It actually is an ad (I think) but they just sprayed it on the wall! =) Thought you would enjoy! Love, Ally"
"More on the way, Duffster. Warm regards, Balls."

"Saw these in Paris. Thought they were neat. The man was from Montmartre. The girl was in the Latin Quarter near Rue Mouffetard, I believe. :) Good to see your happy San Fran trip! HN"
Thank you so much, guys! I can't express how much I appreciate your support. :)

April 2010: Pablo Hererra in Salamanca

Increased urbanization usually means fewer trees. While Pablo's versions don't produce carbon dioxide, bear fruit, or pollinate, they still make urban spaces a little brighter. Today, he checks in from Salamanca and explains the story behind his arbor-themed paintings. He writes:

"I live in Salamanca, a small inland town famous for its university which looks beautiful but has no cultural power in the 21st century. I try to show parts of the city and its surroundings that aren't promoted by the culture and tourism board. Although most of my work takes place in Salamanca, I painted in similar sites around Asturias, Madrid, Cáceres and Huesca. I am interested in marginalized spaces, not the center of the city."
"Developing my style was a slow process. Ten years ago, I started with Chinese ink, painting vertical lines which gradually became plant prototypes and ended up as trees. I have a fascination with the abstract; I hope to end up doing pure abstraction on the wall."
"I love painting in quiet, abandoned places. Some of them convey a strange feeling, like temples. My favorite was an old farm re-taken by nature; many of my first murals were made there."
"I've only had a little trouble with the police. Sometimes, I get chased by dogs. Most of the time, people just think that I own a place. Maybe they think I work for the council! I almost always make a good connection with the neighbors."
"Now I am preparing some graphic work on paper, but street art gives me the most artistic satisfaction. I think it's a passion and a vice of sorts. I love seeing more people developing a simple way to create joy. Street art connects the problems of the street and the miseries of the city with beauty. It always brings a feeling of inexplicable fullness."

Gracias, Pablo! For more photos of his projects, stop by his blog.

April 2010: Laguna in Almagro

Located in the land of La Mancha, the town of Almagro is one of many towns featured in the magical tale of Don Quixote. Street artist Laguna keenly understands how the region inspired Miguel de Cerventas; he loves painting in his beautiful hometown. Today, he shares a bit of his past and a taste of what's to come. He writes:

"In 1990, two classmates and I painted the road to the entrance of my town with cartoons from my history teacher."
"Every day, cars passed by and saw what we'd drawn; we almost got expelled from school."
"I paint with many people but I try very much to have time to develop my work."
"Crazy things happen when I'm out working. I have collapsed the building in which I was painting. Once, I sought refuge from the police among a group of Romanians (I painted their cars). Another time, some Ukrainian soldiers took us to a train station and expelled us from their country. We finished painting inside the station!"
"These days, I'm going to Morocco as a draftsman and illustrator. My first Africa's manga festival; then I'm traveling around the Arab world."

Gracias, Laguna! For more of his street work, head over to his Flickr.

In The Headlines

Thanks, track girls, for making this weekend completely awesome! I coach some of the toughest ladies out there, and they proved it in their races this weekend. So impressed! In addition to working forever, I also baked my mom a cake and thanked her for putting up with my sister and me. Now it's headline time!

Lastplak's shop opens in Rotterdam on June 6th.

Mark your calendars: Drone has a show opening in Lisboa two days earlier on June 4th.

Appparently, the president of East Timor likes street art.

Wow: a full list of all the places you can catch Banksy in San Francisco.

Swoon spoke to Gothamist about her recent collaboration with Urban Arts Projects; Londonist interviewed A.CE that same week.
Alsacherie decorated the Université de Technologie UTBM - SEVENANS with a collection of phrases in English.

Michael De Feo has a new show at NYC's Woodward Gallery. The exhibit runs through July 24.

Chor Boogie and Ashley Zelinskie traded ideas and came up with the glass spray paint can.

This year, Omino71 and friends will honor the 20th anniversary of Keith Haring's death with "Stick On Haring." If you want to participate, send your stickers by June 25. Shoot them an e-mail for more details.

Friday ProFile: Marco Romano Bhimani

In this electronic age, film cameras are becoming a rare find. The Impossible Project and Holga cater to a limited clientele instead of mass markets. It’s possible that many kids today may never work a film camera. Fortunately, photographer Marco Romano Bhimani knows his way around both mediums. “I had a digital camera back in the day,” he recalls. “Mostly, that camera was for documenting illegal graffiti in LA. I was shooting thousands of pictures, but I felt like if you really wanted to be a photographer, you had to do it in film. You begin to understand how light works and how light is going to respond to your film.”

As a junior high school kid in Pasedena, Bhimani tried his hand at graffiti with some of his buddies. “I still practice my tags to this day, but I’m 32 and I don’t go out in the street that much any more,” he explains. “I got caught out for that shit a lot, dealt with the community service and exorbitant fines. I’m not trying to fuck with that any more; that’s not my thing.”
While his tagging waned, his love of graffiti never abated. “Graffiti belongs in the street,” he argues. “Yes, at the end of the day, you are defacing someone’s property. Many people look down upon it, but I think graffiti is for graffiti writers and the people who appreciate it.” Bhimani loves cruising the streets in search of new subjects. “I think the locations pick me,” he insists. “Things on the street really speak to me, so I love cruising around to back streets. I’ve been working in South LA for the past 10-12 years. It’s really chill on Saturdays and Sundays, so I just go down and do my work: shooting still lifes, weeds, cracked concrete.”

Once he picked up a camera, Bhimani incorporated his love for graffiti into his work. “I’ve photographed lots of LA crews in the underground scene,” he recalls. “SKA crew, TKO crew, NCT…no legal beagles.” Spending time with his subjects leads to special bonds. “We get to talking and we have a connection,” he adds. “That’s what documentary photo is all about. You have a connection with these people, whether they’re models or homeless people. You get to know them, examine them, and see what they’re about. I think a lot of people have impacted my life through the photos.”

Over the years, Bhimani’s watched his city morph and transform. “Los Angeles as a whole is really different now,” he says. “It’s clean, almost safe, and it’s gentrified. Downtown is whiter and there’s lots more yuppy kids. The whole vibe of the city has changed. I remember parts of LA that were fucking drenched in graffiti and now it’s been clean for the past 7-8 years. I thought it looked beautiful when it was covered in paint.”
While Bhimani sees the grit and grime of LA, he still loves his city. “Every time I travel, I get homesick,” he says. “I want to go back to what I’m used to. I like evolution and change within my work, but I’m not able to accept it in my life. I’m a native of LA, and I’ll probably die in LA. I want to get a passport soon to see the things I want to see.” Through projects like the Green Wall series, Bhimani hopes people will learn that “LA’s not just made up of cute little books with photos of Dodgers Stadium or Santa Monica Pier. There are a lot of hidden jewels out here. I’m just trying to bring them to light.”

Thanks, Marco! You can check out more of his photos here. That's all for now. I'm gearing up for two meets this weekend. Fortunately, my sister is home and life is good. I'll be back on Monday with news, stories, and of course more pictures. Enjoy the weekend!

April 2010: Esco in São Paolo

When it comes to street art, São Paolo is one of the great South American capitals. As the birthplace of pixaçao, the scene grew rapidly to include different styles. Today, Esco shows us his unique style and shares crazy stories from the field. He writes:

"Well, I first started painting walls when I was nine year old. It was in some college event. But I really started with this graffiti art for about six years ago. I started making pieces on the street with tags and pixo."
"Everytime that I can work with more people, I do. I think that's essential for my work, having friends with me while I'm doing this act. I prefer my best friends at these moments, but if they are not there, i find new company or I go alone."
"I just like painting abandoned house, factories, and places that are forgotten by people. Those place always have a lot of history to share. I try to see those histories and talk about it with my work. For some years, I just drew letters. During those years, I started going to the street and grabbing walls, so letters greatly influence my present work."
"Once, I was on the street bombing doors with a friend when we saw a good wall for this work. However, it was near a cop post. So we thought that if we could make it, it would be very hard but good. So my friend started doing his piece and when we were finishing, we saw many police cars on the street. Now I think that we should have stopped there, but our reaction was to finish faster. When my friend was almost done, I saw six cops getting out and running in our direction. I got REALLY scared, picked up my backpack, and started running across the street. Those cops looked at my friend, but they came for me. That moment, I thought that they woud kill me! I had very bad luck this day. I was running when I saw another police car with some more cops. They looked the situation and came for me too. I crossed a small street and passed by a bar that was with so many people that saw the situation. They started to scream 'THIEF!' 'THIEF!' All of that happened really fast; then a cop started yelling for me to get down on the ground ! I did what they told me and they asked what I was doing running. I told them I was doing graffiti and nothing big happened. They let me go and didn't give me any problems, but the situation was really funny."
"Now I am starting to see how this work can be very big and communicative. I think those letters for me is easier to do, because I can do that anywhere and it's different than my other kind of drawings. It is some kind of graffit work, but it isn't; it has roots of São Paulo 'Pixaçao', but it isn't pixaçao. It is a product of me reading everything I see into urban art. I am a teacher at a prison for kids ages 11-18, so I see art in everything."

Thanks, Esco! For more São Paolo walls, visit his Flickr.