The FIFA world cup is taking place until July 13th in Brazil and everybody is crazy about it. Walking in Shoreditch’ streets , I met Cranio , one of the most talented Brazilian street artist. He is from Sao Paulo and spreads his work all around the world.
Let’s discover him and his vision of this World Cup.
S: What is your definition of art ?
Art is for me what is happening in our lives. I mean, what is going with people, what is happening with the world or the places we are living in. Art is a blend of that summered in a piece of paper, wall or canvas.
S: When did you start painting ?
When I was a kid in the desktop of my school. I was a kid, but from this I’ve started on walls of my school, I’ve got lot of letters and I was almost expelled from it. And in 1998 I’ve started to paint on streets by myself.
S: You are always painting about Brasil your nation, you paint amazonian people in different
situation but always with a Brazilian football t-shirt or a Brazilian flag etc. Is that to make a
parallel between what is really Brasil and what people think Brasil is ?
I paint indigenous people, but I like to transform them to adapt any kind of culture or situation. My main character is a mixture of a few tribes and when I can I go and research more about it visiting tribes . My main objective is to show people the reality of Brasil painting the many issues happening right now in the country. Usually they are environment, politics, corruption and consumerism. In the last 2 or 3 years was more about the world cup. But sometimes I paint to criticize what is happening like the corruption and a lack of Brazilian proud into our country. I also show the guys addicted in soccer for example, or sometimes that guys that are very poor and can’t go to the game or watch it on TV, but always have a small radio to listen the games.
S: You try to deliver a message of oppression of the amazonian people who are oppressed
and see there land « colonised » by the « occidental » state of mind. But you always try to
deliver this message with a positive state of mind (lot of colors , funny situations etc.) , am
I right ?
Quite right, actually they are not being colonised, they are absorbing the ocidental culture and that is why they are blue. They all got sick with this life far away from the forests, going to the big cities, trying to sell their land in exchange of the consumerism only to buy superfluous gadget like an iphone, sneakers etc. But usually I show the other indigenous that are still believe in their tradition try to make magic and spells so they can comeback to their past living alone and calm in their forests.
S: The FIFA World Cup runs until July , what do you think about that ? You seem
to denounce it as well. Do you think that this event could be something positive for Brasil
and the people or is that hiding the real problems?
It’s a bit of both. 7 years ago when they decided to make the world cup everyone was happy with all the politics promises, but since last year when the riots started people was saying they are against the world cup but what we really want is to get back to a government who plays for better education, health system, public transportation and security. But of course non of this was delivered, only new stadiums. So I’m trying to denounce those issues. I think the games are hiding the real issues. In Brasil everyone loves soccer, but everyone was expecting to have the opportunity to watch games and that our politicians were starting to plan everything to make the country better, better than thinking to their own pockets. But once more we were wrong and we still only got the soccer and none of the rest.
S: What do you think about the other Brazilian street artist work about the world cup , as
Paulo Ito or Beto for example?
I think it should have more artists showing what is happening but usually there are only beautiful graphics or drawings without any content inside it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ytUPnNsHk8
S: You spread your art all over the world . In which country do you prefer to work and why?
The world is becoming my life. I’m travelling a lot, I love Brasil cause I can paint anywhere. But it’s amazing to paint in other countries like UK, Germany, US or Spain.
S: A last word for the Londoner who loved your work?
Invite me more to come to this amazing country.
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