Despite the fact that the coronavirus lockdown has cancelled several urban art festivals in Madrid, the community is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Moreover, the audience might have recently observed two projects about street art developed in town. Do you know where are them?
The health crisis postponed CALLE and Pinta Malasaña. Modern art museums such as Reina Sofia & La Neomudejar closed and none of our street art tours were available. Above all, the cultural industry suffered from the emergency situation.
For months, artists have been producing either at their studios or home based. It’s now time to show their skills in the streets! Have you seen the recent two facades painted by Okudart and Boa Mistura in town?
The newest outdoor project about street art created by the most famous Spanish urban artist.
Fuenlabrada city council and its cultural department spent 15,000€ in the development of a mural artwork sized 17 x 10 meters. The wall is right opposite MAUF, the local museum about street art, also known as Centro de Arte Tomás y Valiente. It is located in Calle de Leganés, 51.
This time, Okuda painted a facade next to Suso33. According to local newspaper El Independiente, the project’s goal is to bring the most famous Spanish artists to paint in Fuenlabrada.
As you may observe, there exists a huge touristic & cultural interest between art lovers to discover new places through its best street art. For your information, Fuenlabrada is just 17 kilometres away from Madrid city center.
Where is Okuda?
That’s the name given by the artist to the wall’s title. In total, there are 21 characters of many different backgrounds, both human and imaginary.
- George Floyd, brutally killed in the United States by an unjustice situation.
- Pikachu, famous Pokemon cartoon.
- Ralph Wiggum, character from The Simpsons.
The meaning behind the artwork was to create the artist’s personal opinion about the Coronavirus. Furthermore, the city council demanded that the wall had to represent the multiculturalism existing in Fuenlabrada.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re an African American, Caucasian or Muslim. The Coronavirus has equally affected all of us.
Okuda, Santander (Spain)
Information about the street art mural itself
Despite the beauty about street art in the mural, there was some controversy in its creation. Some people tought that the artist painted the former Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. However, as Okuda mentioned in an interview “he is not interested in adding political figures to his modern art”.
It took him 4 days to paint the whole facade. He used a cherry picker to do it and Marcos Chelo assisted him on its development. Okuda even painted the 6 friends who spent the Covid-19 lockdown with him at home.
According to the artist’s point of view, one of the greatest aspects featured in art is the possibility that the general audience interpretes the artwork in their own way. Amazingly, people gave many different interpretations to the wall.
How to find the last wall painted by Boa Mistura?
In order to photograph the latest artwork about street art created by Boa Mistura, you’ll have to go to Tetúan district. The nearest metro station is Alvarado, a 5 minutes walk from this beautiful facade. The exact mural is located in Calle Olite, 32. Furthermore, architects designed the building in 1955 according to the national land registry office.
What’s interesting about this new artistic development is that there was a graffiti tag painted over the metal shutter in 2014 which read “Marcelo traficante cocaina” (Marcelo charlie dealer).
To us, it’s amazing to see once again the artworks created by Boa Mistura in Madrid. At last, that’s the city where they were born and the place where their studio is located.
The history about Madrid’s street art movement
It’s clear that Boa Mistura is one of the most important key figures about street art in Madrid at this moment. However, were they the crew who catapulted to fame the urban art in town?
Art historians and graffiti lovers observe the tag Muelle as the beginning of the post-graffiti movement. Not only does this cultural approach serves as a social tool to create an impact in the general audience, but also to mark territories.
Juan Carlos Argüello was a pioneer during the 1980’s. He introduced a new style which wasn’t observed until that time in our city. For instance, have you seen the preserved throw-up that still exists in Calle Montera, 32?
What’s the meaning behind it the artwork?
Right in the middle of the image you’ll observe a white circle. It represents the perfection of life’s cycle. Moreover, Boa Mistura painted blue color flowers in order to surround the circle and its evolution. Lastly, as you may observe the grey color invades the image, as if it were the coronavirus who caused a great damage.
It’s a great philosophical reflection. Not only about the street art movement, but also about every that happens in our daily lives. How was the Covid-19 harmed the cultural and artistic industry? What are the consecuences that it brought us?
Above all, this beautiful and colorful artwork talks about the reinassance in symbolic way of thinking. Have you visited it already and shared the picture on your instagram account?
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