Bogotá, Colombia. December 2012.
Tag: Colombia
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA STREET ART & GRAFFITI: PEZ & RANDOM FRIENDS
I’m in the process of streamlining my blog and it’s forcing me to revisit my past – the many places I’ve been…whilst sitting here in lockdown. A flurry of emotions…Gratitude & Wanderlust…
Bogotá, Colombia. October 2012.
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA STREET ART: WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
This wall combining the efforts of all three amazing street artists, is opposite the Plaza de Toros de Santamaria (Bogota’s Bullfighting stadium.)
Monkey & A Peace Sign by Lesivo
It seems to me like these guys think a lot about evolution and that humanity hasn’t really evolved effectively. Hence, the peace sign with the monkey. There are usually more violent symbols associated with the humans in their works.
Man in a Chemical Suit by DjLu
Monkey in a Hat by Lesivo
Disillusioned Girl, Probably a Drug Addict, by Toxicomano
Indigenous Woman with Child by DjLu, Evil Birdman by Lesivo
The woman is holding a sign that says “Nobody Wins.” This section of the mural depicts the two opposing sides in the class war that is so prevalent in Colombia: the poor desperately needing representation, and the powerful wealthy elite that rule the country on their own terms.
Corruption and Beauty by Lesivo
Fox and Four-Headed Cheetah by DjLu
Four-Headed Cheetah and Boy by Toxicomano
Cheetah and Boy by Toxicomano, Tattooed Punk Jester by DjLu
DjLu’s character looks almost like a court jester with his make-up on and his pointed boots. He appears to be balancing the globe on his knee (notice that it is dangerously close to the edge) while doing a Tai-Chi pose and his left hand is poised in the yogi-namaste gesture. We need peace and balance to save the world.
Good Girl Gone Tramp by Lesivo
Notice the good little girl with the good intent of getting educated and following the dream of her parents (in the lightbulb,) but her eyes portray a fear, almost an inevitability of what she will be made to do and made to become, to get ahead in this world.
Two Women by Lesivo
Woman by Lesivo, Homeless Man by DjLu
With clenched fist, the man says he knows it’s all about guns (power) and money (wealth) so he’ll live in this perpetual state, for how can he emerge?
Scream by Toxicomano
Notice the outline of the yellow dog that is on the attack of the man.
Black Man Screaming for Justice While White Man Remains Silent, Toxicomano.
The title I gave it says it all.
Man Covers his Mouth in the Face of Injustice by Lesivo
Angry Monkeys by Lesivo
A Brighter Future by DjLu
Free Expression by DjLu
The Story this wall tells: The world began with peace and a simpler species ruled the planet. In the interim, the species evolved into humans, which were supposed to be more intelligent and were supposed to do the right thing for mankind. Instead, the world is worse off than its ever been, it’s at its breaking point, and humans are responsible for this condition. You see Lesivo’s angry monkeys attacking the scenes before them, demolishing them, letting the humans know that they did not make a better world, they’ve destroyed it. The next panel depicts two smiling boys by DjLu, which indicates that there is a brighter tomorrow, that we can change the world and make it right again.
All Pictures: 7OCT12. Bogotá, Colombia.
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA STREET ART & GRAFFITI: TATTOOS
This is really cool. I can’t remember who the woman is painted by, but I can see a CRISP tribal mask tattoo on her arm.
I ‘think’ this is Rodez because one of his tendencies is to paint multiple eyes.
I haven’t seen any other ones by ‘Sluto,’ but this is on the side of a building in La Candelaria.
29SEP12. Bogotá, Colombia.
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA: “IT SHOWS ON YOUR FACE”
I thought these were striking. Unfortunately, I don’t know who the artists are. On Calle 19. 29SEP12. Bogota, Colombia.
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA STREET ART & GRAFFITI: PEZ!
Pez translates to ‘fish.’ His tag has evolved into a smiling fish character. He’s from Barcelona, Spain, but is based here in Bogotá. However, he continues to travel the world, painting. Pictured below are some of this legend’s trademark murals in the La Candelaria area:
Smiling & Backpacking in Bogotá
Considered an ‘elitest bloodfest’ by many, bullfighting in Colombia is as controversial as it is popular. The season lasts from January to February and something like 600 bulls will meet their painful, gory demise in that period of time. Tickets are expensive, so regular wage-earning Colombians can’t get in. The idea of the powerful, wealthy elite making their ways into the stadiums to embrace the slaughtering of bulls for sport, just adds to the animosity and great divide between the upper and lower classes in Colombia. Most street art in Bogotá reflects this attitude.
All Pictures: 29SEP12. Bogotá, Colombia.
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA STREET ART: WHO’S GOT A GRENADE?! by DjLU
On the side of a building that sits on Calle 20. Santa Fe/La Candelaria.
Both pictures: 29SEP12. Bogotá, Colombia.
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA STREET ART: “HELD BACK,” by GOUACHE, DJLU, TOXICOMANO, & LESIVO
Gouache, first part
There are four parts to this wall. The first part shows a poor man carrying a rich man on his back (something customary in the past) and in another way it symbolizes the man being held back, not able to be released, in the same way that he can’t release the doves.
Part 2, DjLU
Part 3, Toxicomano
Part 3 continued, Toxicomano
Part 3 continued, Toxicomano
Part 4, Lesivo
The Finale: Lesivo
29SEP12. Bogotá, Colombia.
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA STREET ART & GRAFFITI: RODEZ
The artist Rodez is considered a legend on the streets of Bogotá. He’s in his late 50’s-early 60’s and he is a published children’s book illustrator/designer when not painting on the streets. Keeping his passion all in the family, he paints with his two sons, Nomada and Malegria. The three of them are from Colombia, but are based in Buenos Aires. Here are some highlights below:
29SEP12. Bogotá, Colombia.
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA STREET ART & GRAFFITI: RTZ
RTZ is one of the newer street artists emerging in Bogotá. He has three quite prominent murals stationed in La Candelaria. 29SEP12. Bogotá, Colombia.
On Carrera 4. La Candelaria.
Some of his signature symbols are big alligators and frogs. In the Plaza off of Carrera 2.
This is in honor of an upcoming festival celebrating indigenous culture. Prior to last week, an APC Crew (the largest group of artists in Latin America, includes Stinkfish) mural had been up for several months. No one knows if RTZ was given permission to put this up, or if he’s too green to realize whose mural he covered up. 156 All Starz is a crew out of New York and RTZ must have allowed them to put their tag on it. La Candelaria.