Films from the South are auctioning a piece of graffiti by the Norwegian-Brazilian artist PEACETU. Money raised will go to the Afghani charity project Skateistan. You can see the film Skateistan at this year’s festival.
The Brazilian graffiti artist Rodrigo Vitorio Lisboa Souza aka PEACETU was one of the evening’s many delights when Films from the South invited him to the opening party at Fugazi yesterday.
Peacetu was born in 1977 in the tropical cocoa-town of Illhéus, Brazil, and by the age of 11 he was already making his mark on the streets by, among other things, decorating the park benches in front of his grandparent’s house. After moving to Salvador, Rodrigo began to explore graffiti art. He slowly developed his own exceptional aesthetical expression with abstract forms and vibrant colours, and became quickly known by his artist name PEACETU.
Inspired by tropicalismo
During the 1920’s a strong mural tradition emerged in South and Latin America. The political and cultural liberation from colonialism at the beginning of the 1900’s resulted in an increased interest in popular culture. It’s important to note that this aspect of South-American street art, makes it very different from, for example European graffiti art, because it has its roots in South-America’s political and cultural history.
PEACETU’s colour saturated psychedelia combines this tradition with the legacy of tropicalismo. This movement, which grew and developed throughout the 60’s, unleashed a revolution in poetry, theatre, art, film and music and helped to a change Brazilian’s identity.
PEACETU has researched his style in disparate fields, and works with large walls, sculptures and canvases. For many years he also led a charitable community project in Salvador that uses art therapy to help young crack addicts from the favela. PEACTEU’s works are exhibited widely; of those his solo sculpture exhibit in New York is particularly noteworthy. As recently as last year he was involved in a comprehensive contemporary art project by clothing brand Lacoste. For that project a group of international artists gathered in Rio de Janero for an intensive workshop, resulting in a travelling exhibit. The exhibit has been presented at special art-dedicated events in Curitiba, Belo Horisonte, Sao Paulo and Salvador. He has held several courses in Brazil and is currently running workshops for young people in Norway.
During Films from the South’s opening party at Fugazi yesterday, PEACETU sprayed a large canvas on stage whilst Wasabi’s DJ 99 served up catchy beats from every corner of the world. The artwork, auction and bidding are being administered by Films from the South and the money raised is going to the charitable project Skateistan.
Skateistan is Afghanistan’s first skateboarding school. The project teaches both girls and boys, with a goal to build both an indoors and outdoors skate park where young people can come together amidst the war-torn town, where such activities are sorely needed. During the festival we are showing the documentary Skateistan – Four Wheels and a Board and arranging an event on how the organisation can best work with children and young people in the country. Kai Sehr took two years to create this unique documentary.
The film is an emotional and eventful journey in the young subjects daily lives. We follow the organisation and children throughout the whole of 2009. Both the ups and downs in the fight to break down social, sexual and ethnic boundaries in the war torn capital are portrayed in this powerful documentary that is filled with hope for the future.
Bids on PEACETU’S artwork start from 10 000 kr and those interested can register their bids with skateistan@filmfrasor.no. The bidding ends on the 16th of October.
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