Fumeroism visits Sao Paulo (Part I)

The day after I Fumeroized 5 Pointz in Queens, I caught the ‘red-eye’ to Brazil. I landed early on the morning of August 7th where Zeh Palito met me at the airport. We took a bus to the train to lay my backpack up at the artsy hostile called “Vila Magdelena”, way across the huge megatropolis of Sao Paulo. As soon as we checked in, we changed into our painting gear and hopped the subway across town to rack up on spray paint. On our return, we packed into a van that, if was operated in New York, would have been fined for being a fire hazard. After the 30 minute packed, sardine-can ride to the north Sao Paulo neighborhood, Cocaia, we met up with well known graffiti artists, Reif and Goro..and the mural marathon began.

It is winter in Brazil, so we did not have much time before it was dark. The neighborhood of Cocaia-Guarulhos is where Goro and Reif embellish numerous walls with their art. Reif has his own unique graffiti style, Zeh Palito with his dynamic mural designs and Goro paints his iconic frog everywhere. I took out my business card (which has ‘Grampa’ on the back) and used it as my reference. It felt good to ‘get up’ Grampa as my first mural in Brazil. Working along side my three Brazilian counter parts was awesome, each of us doing what we do and getting it done soon after night fell.

We never made it back to the hostile, instead we went to Reif’s home where I had the chance to meet his friends and family. Everyone was extremely kind and their hospitality was first class. Not often does Cocaia have foreign visitors come to paint walls and everyone I met made me feel welcome. The Brazilian people were very gracious…I cannot thank my hosts enough for their generosity. And although each person was unique, their good energy is a common characteristic that they all share. It was 12 hours before my first day ended. I had painted 3 walls, the back of a box truck and a ‘Grampa’ on this South American continent. The thrill of Brazil was in full swing.

Stay tuned for Sao Paulo Part II