Legal graffiti hits the walls of Mexico City

In a country with such a rich heritage of mural art, graffiti is also a popular pastime for many of Mexico´s youth.

Last week, Henry Chalfant, a photographer and filmmaker who has focused his career on documenting the form of street art, paid a visit to el Faro, a community arts center in a working-class neighborhood of Mexico City called Iztapalapa. The event was organized by Graffitarte, a Mexico City-based arts group.

Some of the young people who came to the event were there specifically to see Chalfant. Others just wanted the chance to paint graffiti in a place where it is permitted. Watch the video for more.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Comments

[naze]

ya are right. keep the graffiti on the walls it makes the earth more colorfull to the aliens

[asa greenwood]

I was looking for the link to an ad I saw on the LA Times online from March 09 about an artist receiving permission in a particular area of Los Angeles for the artists graphiti for the first time.
This article Legal graffiti hits the walls of Mexico City was the first result from my search at Google.

Artists supporting artists, I love it. Boundaries are critical as history has proved on a regular basis.

Blessings,
Asa

[CSULA Public Affairs]

If you missed the “Walls of Passion: The Murals of Los Angeles” exhibition at the Fine Arts Gallery at Cal State L.A., you can enjoy it at the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles starting Thursday, March 19.

Described as “vibrant displays of passion,” the photo-documentary exhibition of 32 L.A. murals researched by 15 Cal State L.A. art history grad students attracted more than 600 people at its opening reception.

According to Manuel Aguilar-Moreno, professor of art history at Cal State L.A., “Public and street art provides an opportunity for both the self-expression and the self-definition of communities who are frequently forgotten in our main cultural venues…. Community murals are an empowering force that serves to tell micro-histories.”

The Consulate General of Mexico is at 2401 West 6th Street in Los Angeles. To RSVP for the Mar. 19, 7 p.m., artists' reception at the Mexican Consulate of Los Angeles, call (213) 351-6845.

For a map of the mural locations and more about Cal State L.A.'s “Walls of Passion” project, go to www.tinyurl.com/Murals-of-LA-map.

[Susan]

Thank you for this. How great to add so much colour and voice to walls that would otherwise be bare cement or material! I'd like to see this transformation in my own neighbourhood of East Vancouver, BC, Canada.