As we spent more time in Buenos Aires and met more people in the art community, we came to realize there’s a really interesting (and inspiring) movement running through the cultural veins of the city. When Buenos Aires is in an economic downturn, like it was in 2001 and it is now, the city looks to street artists to play an important role: to keep buildings – and spirits - cheery during these times of unrest and protest. We heard so many stories of people leaving notes on rundown buildings or on their own homes asking for the leading urban artists to come out, paint, and keep the streets beautiful.
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When the mood of the city is darker, artists that specialize in playful subject matter become that much more famous and requested. We were over-the-moon thrilled when Fede Minuchin, the leader of rundontwalk – an iconic Buenos Aires art collective, agreed to partner with us and paint a mural in his signature style.
We met at his house early in the morning, helped him pack up his paint, carried his ladder and tools, and got to be assistants for a full day of painting a torn up wall in the Congreso barrio. Putting the mural up took the whole day – from laying out the stencil, spraying the lines, and then individually painting each section, but it was such a pleasure to watch. Bystanders treated the street at their own personal gallery show for the day, some sitting for hours to wait and watch Fede work.
Fede explained to us that he loves playing in whimsical and interesting dichotomies – two little kids on a tiger is a good example. He says it’s the innocent conquering the powerful and riding into the unknown. There are deeper metaphors in his work, but he makes a point to keep the subject matter lighthearted.
We feel in love with his personality and artistic perspective and have sense partnered with him to create a limited edition collection of prints. Shop HERE.