Interview with Jorge Pomar “Amor”

Graffiti introduced me to the world of art. One day I picked up a three cans of aerosol with a friend and we went to paint some bombs. Blue, chrome and black. I remember that day with a lot of joy, pure magic. Something changed inside of me.

Painting in the street became a pleasure and an expression of freedom. When I was a teenager I used to skateboard and hang out in the streets with friends a lot. I started experiencing the city with a lot of curiosity, seeing urban space as a place of experimentation and exploration.

"Crucigram", Black Circle Festival, Bushtyne, Ukraine, 2015
“Crucigram”, Black Circle Festival / Ukraine, 2015

Painting was the only activity that made me feel something intense. When I finished high school I had no idea what to do next. I worked in a couple of places and started four different university programs but I didn’t finish any. Painting became an activity that represented freedom and fun. Little by little, I started to visit new cities, and to develop new friendships. Graffiti opened a lot of new doors for me.

I find endless inspiration in the streets, especially in Buenos Aires. I pay special attention to different things: the grey building facades, cracks, construction sites, messages written in restrooms, tags on metal blinds, words carved on a tree, the design of iron railings, things that get caught in trees, colourful awnings, flags hanging from balconies, car stickers, the colours of the train and bus lines, the walls of the railway tracks, the back of newsstands, garbage strewn on the ground, the sound of rush hour, hidden spaces, going up on a roof, down into a tunnel, into an abandoned house, drinking coffee in a classic downtown bar, etc. The city is like a big playground where I can experience and be inspired by an endless array of different situations.

1
“Vicious Circle” / Association Le M.U.R / Paris, 2014.

Nowadays, I’m working on global concepts such as war business.  I’ve found a way to take on this dark subject through trivialisation, using color as my starting point. My interest in this issue arose during the week of the first match of the World Cup in Brazil. The conflict in Gaza Strip was picking up again in a terrible way and I was overcome by a sense of absurdity as I watched how the planet was being mesmerised by a ball.

Last year I focused on vexillology (the study of flags), identity and the study of color, all centered around the theme of conflict.  I held a solo exhibition called “$ 1.800.000.000.000” (one trillion eight hundred billion dollars) in Buenos Aires in the Alpha Centauri gallery, which took as its central idea the economic investment made each year in the weapons industry.  I’ve also traveled in several countries over the last four years, and some of these were engaged in serious conflict while I was there. I filmed situations of urban life, local culture and mural processes during these trips, and used this material to make a documentary film called ”Thirteen cyphers”.

2
“History and identity of Dock Sud”, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2015

In Buenos Aires I had the opportunity to participate in “Pintó La Isla”, a beautiful project which took place in Isla Maciel, in the South of Buenos Aires. One of the artworks is entitled “History and Identity of Dock Sud”, which is a landmark close to the Buenos Aires port, the point of entry for a majority of immigrants coming to South America in the late XIX century. The most interesting part of my experience in this project was the widespread participation of locals in the project. Because of this, the artwork doesn’t have a purely individual framework, but rather belongs to various people.  This has created a context where the mural is better taken care of by the locals, and also favours the generation of more projects like this.

0
“Colors are for people, not for flags”, Respublica Festival/ Ukraine, 2015

I think the act of painting on the street becomes like a magnet for different situations. Painting a mural is all about being in a particular place for a specific amount of time and, while the piece is in progress, all around there is a constant flux of millions people, elements and influences. Exchange and interaction are unavoidable consequences. Over the last few years, I became aware that it’s all about living the experience, and learning and sharing, whatever the context, place, time and sometimes even the visual result of the artwork may be.

Collage on Fabriano paper 200 g 35 x 50 cm 2016
Collage on paper, 35 x 50 cm, 2016

 

 

 

Program of Workshops in UNION Gallery

graffitimundo and UNION welcome autumn with a program of workshops run by celebrated local urban artists.

Intended for both beginners and those with experience, the workshops offer a unique opportunity to experiment with new techniques under the direction of renowned artists.

Workshops are run in Spanish but are open to all. To sign up for any of the following, please email us at info@graffitimundo.com.  Spaces are limited!

CABAIO 38

STENCIL WORKSHOP by CABAIO

Description of Workshop
The workshop begins with a presentation of the history and theory of stencil, looking at different examples of the technique and its use throughout history. The artist will guide participants through the entire process, from the selection of images to their adaptation to the stencil using various mediums, including photocopying and Photoshop. Once the images have been chosen, each student will learn techniques of cutting, and will tackle the different challenges that come with designing and producing a stencil.

About the Artist
Cabaio began painting in the streets as part of the artistic collective Vomito Attack, a group motivated by political activism. In 2005, he started working on a solo project, developing a style that reflected a more personal and intuitive means of expression: colourful compositions, the repetition of geometric figures, the use of figurative elements and the inclusion of calligraphy.

Requirements: No prior experience necessary

Date: Saturday 23rd April
Time: 14 – 18hrs
Cost: 450AR$ per person, includes materials

12507577_957156714333841_7037371180223523425_n

GEOME+RICA: WORKSHOP IN GEOMETRIC EXPERIMENTATION by NASA

Description of Workshop
This workshop offers an informal view of geometry, the construction of modules, patterns and their uses and applications in contemporary art. The workshop includes a talk in which the general concepts of geometry will be discussed, images will be analyzed and examples of geometry in different eras and cultures will be seen. Following this, each participant will produce different modules and patterns on paper employing various techniques of drawing, painting and stencil. The workshop concludes with experiments and debate about the finished product.

Take a peak of a previous workshops here: Video (Password: “Peliculas”)

About the artist
The work of Hernan Lombardo, a.k.a. NASA, is rooted in graphic design, architecture and modern art and is also influenced by the “do it yourself” philosophy. NASA belongs to a generation of artists who began to intervene in the city in 2000, changing the perception of the urban space.

Requirements: No prior experience necessary

Date: Saturday 7th May
Time: 14 – 18hrs
Cost: 500AR$ per person, including materials

DEFI 38

COLLAGE AND COMPOSITION WORKSHOP by DEFI

Description of Workshop
The class begins with an introduction to collage and its uses as a creative tool in the production of an artwork. Participants will experiment freely with collage on paper by employing different textures, shapes and colours. Practical exercises are intended to help develop diverse perspectives, and the idea of balance in  abstract composition will be explored. The workshop culminates with the practical application of collage to an object, in this case the use of sublimation to transfer the unique design of each student to a mug, which they can then bring home.

About the Artist
Defi Gagliardo was a founding member of FASE, a multidisciplinary collective of art, design and music. Together with other collectives, they were the creative forces that generated an urban art form based on graphic design, characterised by bright colours, cartoon characters and lots of positivity. Defi’s compositions vary between the abstract and the figurative and are typified by big explosive gestures, colours and textures.

Requirements: No prior experience necessary

Date: Saturday 14st May
Time: 14 – 18hrs
Cost: 500AR$ per person, does NOT include materials

Thank you to Montana Colors for accompanying us!

Cabaio Stencil Workshop