GALO [itw]

StreetLove THE ARTIST

It’s from Brazil, São Paulo more exactly that the artist GALO answered the StreetLove interview, and we’re very glad to promote his excellent work!

His artist name came from his birth name: Galvani. And when he was a teenager, he changed schools and his colleagues tried to choose him a nickname… and after a few tries, Galo was what remained!

GALO has been involved in street-art since June 2009, but in 2007, he pasted a poster in protest against the visit of the U.S. President Georges Bush.

So he started seriously mid-2009 and all started when he was working in a neighborhood in downtown Sao Paulo. It was in Cambuci, where it existed, and it sill exists, a strong street-art scene in the district where OS GEMEOS were born.

« There are too many great graffiti artists such as ISE, NINA, EliasJunior… I saw their work every day and they inspired me to start with street-art.
One day I went to a store specialized in graffiti and I bought sprays with various caps and when I got home I tried to do a graffiti. I was wrong, I hurt my finger, my hand aching… After a week I saw a can of liquid paint, picked up a paintbrush and went to paint. From this moment, I only use brushes and latex! »

He did his first street-art when he was 28 years old, protesting against Bush and always works alone, but sometimes partnered with other graffiti writers, what we call the « go to a ride« .

GALO is graduated in architecture and urbanism, but he works mostly in the area of acoustic design.

This recent work he did on the streets has never been exhibited in a Gallery, but hopefully in a few years when he will have a more mature work, « anything can happen« .

StreetLove THE ART

When he is not acting in the streets, Galo is working on canvas and he has already customised some toys.

« My inspiration comes from everything around me, family, friends, what I see on a daily basis, some news that draws my attention. »

He remembers the first time he went out on the street to a wall of a school without permission, no idea about what he was going to do until he was approached by a resident who wanted to know if he had permission. He told him that he had – a lia! And he followed painting and thereafter he returned many times to the same wall but much more relaxed.

The GALO street-art’s size is between L and XL, and he mostly works on a 3×2 meters. He created around 50 pieces already, between wheatpasted and graffiti’s works.

You can find them in São Paulo (São Paulo, São Bernardo, Santo André, Mogi das Cruzes), Paraíba (Sousa, João Pessoa) and Paris.

« Usually, I have a vague idea but it always changes when I get to the wall.

My works do not have a relationship with each other, but have elements that arise during the process, for example, now I do my fish with a star spiked in the back because it is a reference to my grandmother who died in 2010″.

Most of his work is graffiti (Latex wall) but he also likes collages. He met « collage » thanks to the project’s photographer Eric Marechal (Streer Art Without Borders). He tried stencils but he didn’t make a lot. He admires the work of artists like OZI, Celso Gitahy, Caverá, Daniel Melin, Rafael…

His preferred street-art theme is the fish as you can easily understand, but not only, he also likes texts in Russian, Bulgarian, Latin, Portuguese, French, Arabic.

« In some graffiti’s works I write in – Utilities (utility), Firmitas (solidity), Venustas (beauty) – what are some fundamentals of architecture according to the Roman architect Vitruvius Marco Polião (Century 1BC) and that somehow refer to my training. »

StreetLove THE TECHNIQUE

He prefers working on walls mostly, and sometimes on iron gates.

As tools, he uses brushes of different kinds.

He needs one full day to put a piece in the streets. He comes in the morning and finishes it in the late afternoon, before the sun goes down…

Galo gave us a street-art tip: « Try using paint quality, good materials, and make graffiti with love without expecting anything in return« .

Well, thanks a lot but I don’t think I’m litterate with my hands, I prefer workind with my keyboard 😉

StreetLove THE FUN

« Sometimes I like to carry some water and apples, I do not usually carry music because I like hearing the sound of the city and people. »

Galo’s favorite colors are terracotta and red!

His artistic references are from many artists of different styles, like Os Gemeos , ISE, OZI, Nina, Coc, VDA, MKTZ _, Brutal, KIU, Zezão, Elias Junior, Celso Gitahy, Caverá, Mauro, Socidas, Coxas, Finok, Rui Amaral, Cavera, Nick Alive, Truff, Homens Pizza, Thatha,Tikka, Biofa, Pixote, Salvador Dali, Magritte, Ernst Marx, etc…

His style of music is Rock, Rap, Indian Music, French Music (Serge Gainsbourg and The Plasticines) and Chinese Rap, Turkish Rap, Brazilian Music, etc..

3 things he likes in general: paint, people and music.

3 things he hates in general: the Police, bureaucrats and corrupt politicians!

« I do not have any upcoming events, but I know that some walls exist a lot. »

A message for the StreetLove team: « I can only thank the opportunity and say how important a vehicle that explores street-art in all its segments, thank you all. »

You can find more about the artist on his website, « in the air » since January 2010: www.galosurreal.com and he has also a Blog: galosurreal.zip.net.

You can check out his FlickR photos gallery too.