Graffiti got boring. Even typing the word is tedious. The scene (sneaker geeks breakdancing to Beastie Boys and worshipping Banksy) spawns yawns in London and New York. But what about paint sprayed on the streets of different countries with different influences? We wanted to find out if graffiti was less boring in Brazil so while we were in Rio with the Brahma beer guys, we met Speto, a local aerosol artist. We talked as he sprayed over a work he’d sprayed the previous night.
Hi Speto!
*Listening to his iPod. Takes off his headphones*
You’re not listening to the Beastie Boys are you?
Yes!
I bet Wild Style changed your life and you geek out about sneakers too.
In Brazil it was very hard to buy shoes so we had to create our own. We painted our shoes as Vans. We’d find white sneakers at the Salvation Army store and then we’d paint small squares or flames on them. We spent weeks working on them.
What’s life like in Brazil?
In Brazil people have different views on their body. There is a sensuality here that is very natural.
We met Speto in Lapa, Rio’s arty quarter.
Why do all the guys here wear Speedos?
In Brazil we call them sungas. First you need to set the clock: six o’clock, three o’clock or nine o’clock. Never midday! Other people can do what they want but I will never wear sungas. I hate the way they stick up your ass. But in Rio it’s relaxed, hot and sunny. If you put big shorts on you’ll have white legs and a white ass.
We hear Brazil can get pretty rough. When did you last get into a fight?
At a concert my friend’s band played at. The crowd turned crazy. About 200 people tried to invade the stage and steal the instruments and equipment. But we managed to defend the stage and win the fight. We had huge security guys and the band’s manager was this tall, strong guy.
This is like The Old Blue Last of Brazil
What’s the worst fight you’ve had with your parents?
One time we were on a farm in the countryside. I made a mess of my room and my dad was very angry. He slapped me. I went out into the gardens and brought back lots of beautiful fruits for my father. I gave them to him and said, “Please Papa, don’t be angry with me.” He started to cry.
I’m starting to cry myself. One last question: if you could have one superpower what would it be?
I’d have rubber body parts. Then I could stretch my arms to reach up to high walls where I want to spray.
This is the original piece that Speto sprayed over.
This is what the new piece ended up like.
These guys were just hanging out playing dominos.
*Many thanks to Brahma for hooking us up with the interview*
Reader Comments
January 26th, 2007
3:35 pm
Hey Vice-
Remember when you guys had a fucking graffiti section in your mag-
http://www.viceland.com/issues/v8n5/htdocs/steady_b.php
Arent you guys friends with those Irak idiots?
Wasn’t sure exactly when graffiti got boring - but apparently sometime over the last 3 years.
Fuck - even the VICE logo looks like a graffiti piece.
January 26th, 2007
3:51 pm
i guess it go boring when Angelina spent $400,000 on Banksy’s art:
http://vice.typepad.com/vice_magazine/2006/12/new_york_banksy.html
January 26th, 2007
4:25 pm
all yall head in nyc should bomb vice hq
January 26th, 2007
4:30 pm
I like it.
I love how its gone past names and tags and has blown open..
This guys art looks fantastic and beats staring at ugly RIo walls
January 26th, 2007
5:10 pm
“i guess it go boring when Angelina spent $400,000 on Banksy’s art”
i agree it boring around the time banksy started getting paid seriously. this stuff in rio looks great though
January 26th, 2007
7:19 pm
Yeah…boring like having a banana up your ass. Mabye we could solve the Irak problem and get the Yanks to loosen up a bit if we shove some fruit up peoples asses and start wearing very small bathing suits while spraypainting the shit out of everything. If you don’t get in a fight in Rio then there’s a major problem with the way you are living. And if you don’t get something stuck up your ass, or stick it up someone else’s ass, then you are also probably not from there.
January 27th, 2007
10:01 pm
“banana up the ass” ahaha! im going to fucking rio.
January 28th, 2007
8:00 pm
speto is one reason why graffiti isnt boring. speto is just another dude. there are mad dudes like speto out there doing shit. im willing to bet that the interviewer knows little to nothing about graff (besides for doing a line off earsnots penis).
January 29th, 2007
1:23 am
check out the
G TRAIN LADY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ3dMXMnwQE
January 30th, 2007
1:43 am
hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa you’ve read my mind: ‘graffiti’. yeah right. theyre all aspiring web developers painting murals for the local council and getting they’re real names in the paper.
dis.
gus.
ting.
and they market themselves like some kind of underground art rebellion.
please.
these days its a segway into an advertising career or having your own hip hop clothing label kill me now please.
(except iraq, i like those guys)
February 1st, 2007
3:34 pm
everything is always gay until someone who’s not gay does something that isn’t gay. follow?
February 6th, 2007
11:12 pm
graffiti is cool
February 8th, 2007
11:54 pm
Hello,
My Name is J. I am a print journalism major at Florida International University, in Miami, FL.
I am currently working on my senior project, which is to construct a blog, as well as write a feature story about the history of graffiti in Brazil.
I want to discuss its beginnings, evolution, styles (can/stencil), political and social connections and references (i.e. messages/ protests), acceptance into the modern art world, and artists involved in the past and currently. Most importantly, what does it all mean. Why the culture is so important and how these forms of self-expression communicate with others.
I am also looking for contributions of work from artists in Brazil. If you have any knowledge or contacts, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.
My contact information:
E-mail: Jmillerdean@gmail.com
Thank you for your time.
J
June 18th, 2007
8:24 pm
It depends on where, it did get boring. However, I would say it’s just a matter of time that it comes back again, anywhere.
I’m not a graffitti fan, however I should say here in Barcelona we’ve kind of have a back into it that is more than convincing. See miss van, lolo or the like.
July 19th, 2007
7:30 am
graffitti got boring in 1985 when every kid in your high school was fucking doing it.
January 12th, 2008
2:05 am
hmmm j, maybe you should go to brazil? i think it would be valuable for someone to focus on graf in northeast brazil; american articles tend to focus on rio and sao paulo only. ah shit, you probably already wrote your piece.