When it comes to speaking of Latin American art, it’s usually presented in a homogeneous way and it is not taken into account that each country has its own identity beyond the continent. That being said, urban art is an increasingly popular artistic expression in the region and generally tries to transmit a message.

1. Saner

Edgardo Flores is a visual artist, illustrator and graphic designer born in Ecatepec, Mexico. After his time at the university, he started in graffiti and after, in muralism. His work is influenced by Mexican folklore, Street Art and even Pop Art.

The most characteristic of his artworks is the use of skulls, ethnic textiles, vivid colors and mainly, masks. This manages to transmit a certain mysticism, magic, theatricality and life. In turn, the artist handles irony and most of all, violence, in reference to his hometown which has the highest rates of violence in the country.

Saner is mistakenly considered a reference of "New Mexican Muralism", although having a direct influence is a misapplied term. He proposes a reinterpretation of Mexican identity by juxtaposing traditional elements with current iconography. With a veil of both criticism and pride, he has managed to capture his art on the streets throughout Mexico, USA and Europe.

https://www.artsy.net/artist/saner

2. Pium

She is a Chilean muralist and art director, her art mixes graffiti, illustration and painting. In fact, the sketches for her murals are hand-made and painted with acrylic.

The artist works with the theme of anthropomorphic woman, half human and half animal both in her forms and in her instincts. They also represent symbols of healing and self-care linked to nature, such as fire, water, medicinal plants, earth, stones, etc.

Despite being full of color, her murals and paintings reflects her social commitment. Late last year, she and other artists carried out the mural “Mama Loba” on the outskirts of a women’s prison. It was inspired by mothers and children who are socially punished. She has also participated in “Muchachitas Pintoras”, an event that made women in urban art visible facing a long-term sexist scene.

Pium has been exhibiting in Chile and other countries since 2012. She has participated in the last edition of Lollapalooza Chile in an open-air space where the muralists painted live. Her most recent international collaboration has been with Cirque Du Soleil, an artistic intervention inspired by the show that will be part of a travelling gallery around the world.

https://www.instagram.com/pium_piums/

3. Felipe Pantone

The Argentine-Spanish artist, who has kept is face hidden, is renowned for his hypnotic murals present all over the world including Portugal, Palestine, Haiti and South Korea. Although he started with graffiti at the age of 12, when he was still signing the streets of Valencia as -PAINT1-, his interest in abstract art gradually grew. Nowadays, he also develops in disciplines such as sculpture, installation and painting.

His artworks combine neon and geometric shapes with elements of digital technology such as glitch, pixels and QR codes. Pantone constantly tries to evoke the hyper-connected society. For this reason, his art has been considered within “The New Aesthetic”, a term created by James Bridle to name the transfer of objects from virtual to real world.

His work is influenced by the Kinetic and Op Art of the sixties, especially by the artists Victor Vasarely and Carlos Cruz-Díaz. But his biggest inspiration is reality itself.

Since his first solo exhibition in 2016, Felipe Pantone has exhibited in museums and galleries in Paris, Belgium, Miami and New York. Recently, the "Big Time Data" was opened at the RGR Gallery, Mexico. It will also be presented at ZONAMACO, the largest fair platform in Latin America.

https://www.instagram.com/felipepantone/

4. Bastardilla

Little is known about this artist as she has also decided to maintain anonymity. It is known that she was born in Colombia and grew up on the street. She began in graffiti when painting houses, henceforth her artistic work has been disseminated thanks to the Internet. She took her main inspiration from the struggle of South American women and her own experiences.

Women in Colombia have found in graffiti, an art always dominated by men, a form of resistance against the growing violence and patriarchal inequality.  Through their works, Bastardilla and the rest of the artists teach various political and social issues to passers-by and tourists.

Her style is more old-school. She handles thick and colorful lines and accomplishes such a particular sparkle that makes her artworks perfect to enjoy at night. Although she also has contemporary influences as the expressionist women she portrays are reminiscent of the art of Lucy Tejada, a Colombian artist.

Bastardilla became a benchmark of local street art and in many other countries, especially in Mexico. She currently lives and works between Italy and Colombia.

https://www.bastardilla.org

5. Puriskiri

A graffiti artist from the age 14, he was born in Cochabamba (Bolivia), a city that after being abandoned became the cradle of urban art in South America thanks to artists and citizen participation. Art achieved more than embellishment since the urban neglect, along with other factors, had caused the generalization of a negative social imaginary that falls on the habitants.

Puriskiri connects with the local population through the powerful messages of its murals. He has worked not only with regional folklore but also with themes such as the fight against gender-based violence, climate change and the importance of caring for Bolivian flora and fauna. To generate greater impact, his artworks are becoming more and more realistic. With only reference photographs, the artist does not need previous sketches; his inspiration is unpredictable and spontaneous.

After his participation in the Cochabamba Urban Art Biennial (BUA) he has not stopped growing. As well, he won a competition organized by the European Union attracting the attention of several countries of the continent.

https://www.instagram.com/puriskiri/