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Speto

(1971 - São Paulo) Lives and works in São Paulo.

Speto, the artistic name of Paulo Cesar Silva, is a visual artist, illustrator, and one of the leading figures in Brazilian graffiti. Since childhood, he showed a talent for drawing, decorating skateboard decks—a sport he practiced on the streets of the city. His interest in graffiti began in the 1980s when, at 14, he watched the film Beat Street in the cinema. Inspired by one of the film’s characters, he bought his first spray can and started coloring the city’s walls. Alongside Binho, Vitché, and Os Gêmeos, Speto is part of the first generation of Brazilian graffiti artists, emerging after the end of the military dictatorship, at a time when hip-hop culture, originating in the suburbs of New York, was taking over São Paulo.

Inspired by the folkloric tradition of Northeastern Brazilian cordel literature and woodcut prints, Speto developed his own original style, giving his works a genuinely Brazilian expression. The idea of exploring folk art as a base for his creations came when he saw the album cover of Dead Man's Party by the Californian band Oingo Boingo. Although self-taught, he attended courses at MAM (Museum of Modern Art) and took woodcut classes, refining his technique.

In the 1990s, he contributed to shaping the visual identity of bands like Raimundos, Planet Hemp, Nação Zumbi, and O Rappa. Recognition of his work, however, only came in the 2000s when graffiti began to be valued as art in Brazil. Today, Speto is considered one of the country's foremost urban artists, with works spread across more than 15 countries and participation in events such as Art Basel Miami, where he painted a wall during Primary Flight—the world’s largest outdoor art event. His works have been exhibited in museums such as the Palais de Tokyo in France, the Afro Brasil Museum in São Paulo, and various galleries throughout Europe and the United States. He was curator of the Movimento HotSpot, created by Paulo Borges, and has painted squares, buildings, viaducts, hotels, and even a church.

Speto has also collaborated with renowned artists such as Alice Cooper and Elba Ramalho, and his work has appeared in music videos by O Rappa and pop singer Beyoncé. In advertising, he has worked with brands such as Brahma and Coca-Cola, being responsible for the visual identity of the global campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, he participates in projects and NGOs around the world, such as SOS Racisme (France), Viva Con Agua (Germany), Gol de Letra Foundation, and Instituto Criar.

About the mural he created at the entrance of Rosewood São Paulo, on Rua Itapeva, Speto states: “I created a homeless Don Quixote who lives in the tunnel on Avenida Paulista. He has visions and sees buses as whales and police cars as dragons. This character, who lives on the streets of São Paulo’s most famous avenue, never gives up on dreaming, seeing only the virtues in people regardless of their circumstances, in a city of contrasts where so many human beings are invisible, drowned in routine or living in bubbles, ignoring the harsh reality of this country. As a self-taught artist, I was captivated early on by the simplicity, honesty, and charisma of cordel woodcuts. Small booklets sold on clotheslines at popular fairs in the Northeast, telling real or imaginary stories with humor and reverence. Not knowing how these prints were made, I ran several tests and began to simulate the effect of woodcuts using spray paint.”

Find out more at: http://www.speto.com.br

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