Giant Graffiti Art in Rio Revitalizes Port Area for 2016 Olympics

Published on Feb 2, 2013
Brazilian graffiti artist, Toz, is painting a giant mural in Rio de Janeiro’s port region, as the area gears up for the 2016 Olympics.

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A giant and colorful mural is bringing a bit of life to Rio de Janeiro’s poor port region. The area is being renewed for the 2016 Olympic Games.

The vibrant artwork is courtesy of Brazilian graffiti artist Toz who, together with his friends, is filling the 98-foot tall mural with bright colors and random caricatures.

The artwork is already the biggest of its kind in the city, and was commissioned by Lojas Americanas and B2W, two of the biggest brands in Brazil, which own the building where the mural is being painted.

[Toz, Brazilian Graffiti Artist]:
“My vision was to design something where there was enough space for my artist friends to showcase their work and also for me expose my work. That’s why I had this idea of these triangles, as if they were small windows into different worlds and ideas.”

To fill the space, Toz and eight other artists have used 1500 cans of spray paint so far.

Rio still has some way to go to catch up to other world cities, such as London and Berlin, when it comes to street art, but Toz believes the talent and the spaces are there.

[Toz, Brazilian Graffiti Artist]:
“Graffiti was born in those areas—the more distant and neglected areas—and today here we are, painting the side of a building, so I think not just here, but in any place which is destroyed and neglected is a perfect place for graffiti artists.”

For the people who work and live in the area, the colorful mural is a pleasant addition to the bleak surroundings.

[Carlos Magno, Construction Worker]:
“It used to be an ugly building, but now it can even become a tourist attraction, I think it’s cool.”

Rio de Janeiro’s port region will be one of the focal points of the 2016 Olympic Games.

City servants are investing millions of real (pronounced re-Al) in new transport links, road works and new housing, to accommodate the thousands of visitors expected during the summer of 2016.

Singapore’s ‘Sticker Lady’: Artist or Vandal?

Published on Aug 10, 2012 by linktv

Samantha Lo, one of Singapore’s most well-known artists, is under investigation by the country’s notoriously strict government for plastering stickers in public spaces. Contributor Trinh Hoang Ly reports on squeaky-clean Singapore’s debate over street art.

Brooklyn Street Art 2011 Images by Jaime Rojo

Images of the Year 2011: Images of Street Art by photographer Jaime Rojo in 2011 and a new soundtrack created with collected Brooklyn street sounds by electro duo Javelin. Every seven days on Brooklyn Street Art we present “Images Of The Week”, our weekly interview with the street. Here’s a selection of the best from the year 2011.

Artists and creators appearing in the video include;

5 Pointz, 907Crew, Sadue, Gen2, Oze108, Droid, Goya, UFO, Aakash Nihalini, No Touching Ground, Aiko, Martha Cooper, Anthony Lister, Boom, INSA, Miami, Primary Flight, LA Freewalls, Los Angeles, Kim West, Kopye, L.E.T., Purth, Lisa Enxing, Baltimore, Banksy, LA MoCA, Barry McGee, Blek le Rat, Broken Crow, Albany Living Walls, Chris Stain, Billy Mode, AD HOC Arts, Chris Uphues, Monster Island, Wynwood Walls, Creepy, Brooklyn Street Art, Jaime Rojo, Steven P. Harrington, Dabs & Myla, How & Nosm, Vhils, Dain, D*Face, ECB, El Sol 25, Elbow Toe, EMA, The London Police, Kid Acne, Will Barras, Enzo & Nio, ESPO, Steve Powers, Faile, Bast, Faith 47, Gaia Clown Soldier, General Howe, Hellbent, Herakut, Invader, JA JA, Jaz, Cern, Joe Iurato, Welling Court, John Baldessari, JR, Kenny Scharf, Knitta Please!, LMA Cru, LUDO, Mosstika, ND’A, IRGH, Labrona, Overunder, Nick Walker, NohjColey, Nomade, Occupy Wall Street, Os Gemeos, Veng, Chris, RWK, QRST, Radical!, Rambo, Retna, Gifted, Demon Slayers, Read, Booker, Read More Books, ROA, Shepard Fairey, Shin Shin, Wing, Skewville, Specter, Swampy, Sweet Toof, Swoon, Toofly, Various & Gould, VHILS, XAM, YOK, Pantheon Projects

Penis graffiti wins innovation award in Russia

Giant phallus graffiti by Russian ‘art terrorists’ – innovation or vandalism?

Russia’s art world’s been plunged into controversy, after an award for innovation went to a giant piece of graffiti that many viewed as obscene. Nevertheless it bagged the radical art group ‘Voina’ the 15,000 dollar prize after they daubed the work on a draw bridge opposite the Federal Security Service in St Petersburg. And while most people were angered at the action, others say it’s the message – not the form – that matters.

French AIDS PSA

Lonely graffiti penis searches for a partner. All are unwilling until he finds some protection…

Black and Mexican conflict in Compton and Los Angeles

Alex Alonso discussing the Black and Brown conflict in 2002 while doing gang territory research in Compton while a film crew follows him. Compton Varrio Tortilla Flats and Fruit Town Pirus, a Blood gangs have been involved in a violent clash that started in 1998 that left over two dozen murdered. Other part of Los Angeles have been seeing similar racial challenges.

Original Air date: April 24, 2002