Amaro Abreu is an amazing Brazilian graffiti artist.
I had the opportunity to meet him at IIT, Powai for the Techfest 2018. He painted the main IIT wall along with graffiti artists Rikis, Lobster, NME and Mooz. After the festival, we got him and the boys to Marol Art Village. Soon enough, the walls started became canvases for masterpieces inside Adarsh Nagar and Jabarpada.
As he was leaving, we asked him to share our experiences with us. Here’s what he had to say.
1. Where do you belong to? What do you do there?
I come from Porto Alegro in Brazil. Back home, I paint walls and also display my work at art exhibitions. When I’m not traveling, that is.
2. How long have you been painting, what has your journey been like?
I have been painting since 2002. I have painted and traveled to Chile, Bolivia, Argentina and Peru in South America. I also did commercial work there. I have been invited to participate in Meeting of Styles in Germany. I had exhibitions in France and Spain as well. I also participated in Lebanon and in the street art festival in Cairo, Egypt.
3. How would you describe your style? What do you like to paint?
I was 6 years old when I first painted. I always had connection with drawing. I also connected with imaginary planets. So when I grew up, I started creating connection between these two worlds.
I started to invent parallel lives like how civilization on another planet evolves. That is my style now. I didn’t want to make what other people have made. I have a wish to find something peculiar.
I invented the entire world and other forms of life. In that planet there is no technology. There evolution is based on intense connection with the environment. Sometimes, here that is lost on our planet. Children grow up without contact with nature.
4. What brought you to India? How, Why?
I was travelling the world before this. I was in Cairo when I was invited by IIT Bombay to paint at the Techfest 2018.
For a long time, I have wanted to come to India. It is very different from my city, country and continent. It is a contrast. It is like discovering something like another planet.
It is very inspiring since in my work I see a reflection. In my creative process, I like to create something new every time. I don’t like repetitive work otherwise it is like a stamp. It makes me challenge myself and surprise the people who follow my work.
5. Where did you paint in India? How would you describe the experience?
After the Techfest, I painted at Aadarsh Nagar in Marol. It was great to meet Omkar and the Wicked Broz who have helped me. Having fellow South American Rikis DSantander with me was also a big help during the trip.
The experience there was amazing because of the contrast of the religion, people and culture is very very strong. As I said, it was like discovering a new planet. Lot of people want to come there but they don’t feel safe because of the TV which sells fear about India.
They show that people fight over religion over there. But if you discover India for yourself you find something else. It’s beautiful.
6. What Indian thing or person caught your most attention?
I don’t know about anything specific since everything was extremely new. But maybe the clothes were very beautiful, the faces were very beautiful. In movies they show something but in person it is something else. Very intense. The way people experience each other is something incredible.
7. What is your greatest learning about art that you want to share with Indian graffiti artists?
The experience of India has been so so strong for me. I don’t know if there is any technique I like to teach but I just want to say that each artist must start to travel. It is a better way to developing ourselves.
A good artist is the artist that gets intense experiences in life. That’s when you get to transform it in an art piece. Travel is good for developing the soul.
8. When you went back from India, what did you take home for friends?
I didn’t have any specific things in mind since after such a long travel many things had changed. After going back I went to meet friends and meet the family. The Brazilian projects start in New Year so I was just back in time.
9. Is there any place where your work got featured? Where can people follow your art?
My work is most in Brazil. That’s where I have grown up. But you can find it in South America, Europe, Middle East and now India also.
My social media links are here and you can follow my new stuff:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/amarout
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amaroabreu
So that is a sneak peak into the fantastical world of master Amaro Abreu. Connecting to a Brazilian artist is always a pleasure. My adventures with the Keep It Real crew were also a great learning experience. There is something magical about samba land and Amaro’s murals prove that point.
I hope to host him again at some point in the future. Till then, I wish him the best of dreams for his surrealistic art.
