Street artist Pedro Sangeon from Brasília has ensured that graffiti has taken a place of honour along Brazilian streets. Using art to publicise positive thoughts and messages, he already has his work publicised and shared by thousands of people throughout the Internet – his Facebook page alone has almost 20 thousand followers.
His character Gurulino has simple yet striking characteristics, and can represent anyone who passes by and admires the art of Pedro Sangeon. In a well-humoured mood, he leaves his message about tricky issues like political participation and self-awareness.
In what the author himself defines as spirituous and contemplative humour, his graffiti has already become a mandatory stopping point for anyone walking through the streets of Brasília, like a coloured oasis in the midst of the grey and noisy life of stone.
Gurulino was born in Barcelona
According to Mr Sangeon, he was born drawing, but his major inspiration was his mother, who spent her time scribbling at home. Gurulino, on the other hand, was born in Barcelona, where he discovered yoga in the middle of his art classes, and became a teacher of this ancient technique. Inspired by what he had learnt, Pedro Sangeon decided to create something that could take ideas full of optimism and peace over to the public.
Nothing better than using the city walls so that his messages could reach out to the public in a quicker and more ample way. In addition, this type of proposal only becomes feasible through the union between the public and the private (another core aim of Mr Sangeon’s work), two opposites that are normally so distant from each other, as both need to approve the use of the space for application of graffiti.
Sangeon takes graffiti over to children
To make sure that graffiti shall keep up its mission of taking awareness to the streets, Pedro Sangeon participates in many different workshops, lectures and seminars about the issue, including some that are aimed at children. During the workshops, he shares his techniques and tries to explain the beauties of art in the open air.
Even so, he takes his art everywhere, even to pages of newspapers. At present, Gurulino can be found in comic strips published by the Correio Braziliense newspaper, in his native Brasília, a newspaper which had already appointed him as being one of the main influencers of the Brazilian Capital through the project known as Retrato Brasília, in partnership with the Bank of Brazil Cultural Centre (CCBB).
In addition, Gurulino is also travelling inside and outside Brazil, and can be admired in locations as varied as Rio de Janeiro, Paraty (State of Rio de Janeiro), Barcelona, Berlin and New York City.