TEXTURA DOS: Buenos Aires Street Art
By Matt Fox-Tucker and Guilherme Zauith
|
 "Street art isn't legal in Argentina, but like most South American countries its government has bigger problems to worry about. While local governments in the USA and Europe crack down on graffiti, even imposing jail terms for offenders, in Buenos Aires authorities simply turn a blind eye. There's even street art and stencils on the stonework of historic churches, banks and stately old town-houses. Many street artists come to Argentina because there's little space to paint in their own countries. Buenos Aires offers an abundance of abandoned factories, warehouses and walls. As a result, some of the best artists in the world arrive and spread their influences and styles. The city's architecture provides a backdrop for the artists to blend textures and colors on walls, doors, windows, shutters, kiosks, road signs, traffic lights and other street furniture."
With these words, Matt Fox-Tucker and Guilherme Zauith introduce their eye-popping book about the fine art of graffiti in the many and varied neighborhoods or barrios of one of the world's great cities. The authors visited all of the 48 neighborhoods in the Federal Capital of Buenos Aires. They have included 19 of the most interesting barrios in this 160-page book. Romar Traveler is pleased to introduce travelers to a sampling of the art that covers many walls of these 19 neighborhoods.. |
Belgrano Barrio:
Named after the creator of Argentina's national flag, this neighborhood is predominantly high-rise luxury apartments where some of the wealthiest people in Buenos Aires reside. Next to the Belgrano railway station there is a small Chinatown. Artist Lean Frizzera painted a woman there using Asian themes showing copulating pandas (center of second row below).
|
La Boca Barrio:
The most colorful barrio of La Boca was the city's first port. Its residents are primarily immigrants from Genoa, Turkey and the former Yugoslavia. The barrio is noted for its brightly colored houses but is one of the roughest neighborhoods in the city. During the days the streets are quiet, but tourists are warned by the police not to stray from the pedestrian street El Caminito—also the name of a famed tango.
|
Palermo Barrio:
Famed for its parks, boutiques, trendy cafes and nightclubs, Palermo has become a hip place to eat and shop and a much sought place in which to live. Being the coolest and biggest barrio, Palermo has more art here than any other as well as more artists in residence.
|
Recoleta Barrio:
One of the most expensive barrios in Buenos Aires, the area is noted for its architecture, its elegant squares and, perhaps most notably, for the cemetery where the Familia Duarte Mausoleum is located, the final resting place of Eva Peron, also known as "Evita". |
Saavedra Barrio:
This is a quiet middle class neighborhood located on the border of Buenos Aires. At the end of a narrow park with a 10-block wall there is a huge mural painted by Gualicho in his distinctive style with bright orange and blue colors, his imagery showing animals interacting with machines.
|
San Telmo Barrio:
Well known to tourism, this barrio is characterized by cobbled streets, crumbling 19th century houses, antique shops, artists' studios, tango bars and, most especially for its Sunday street market accompanied by performing clowns, tango dancers and living statues. The barrio is also a canvas for some extraordinary graffiti.
|
Villa Crespo Barrio:
Born of Italian, Spanish and Jewish immigrants, this barrio inspires both tango and theater. Villa Crespo is well known for its shoe and leather shops and is becoming a shopping mecca for tourists and local alike. The melting pot of ethnicities that reside there inspire artists to produce a remarkable mix of styles and moods in their graffiti.
|
For additional information:
We are pleased to bring you this sampling of Buenos Aires' remarkable graffiti. The entire collection by Matt Fox-Tucker and Guilherme Zauith is available in print and hard cover in:
TEXTURA DOS
BUENOS AIRES: Street Art
by Matt Fox-Tucker and Guilherme Zauith
Published by Mark Batty Publishers of New York City
|
|
To see more photographs and learn more about Buenos Aires street art: http://buenosairesstreetart.blogspot.com
|
|
South America