Bicycle murals by Argentine artist Mart (photo © BA Street Art)
Mart has painted dozens of murals featuring bicycles around Buenos Aires including a new design by a railway line in Palermo near Las Cañitas. Mart told Buenos Aires Street Art why he likes painting bikes and his love for pedal power.
Bike painted on a trailer in Palermo (photo © BA Street Art)
Does your most recent artwork (below) signify anything in particular?
Painting in the street is what it signifies to me, the bicycle in this painting doesn’t have its own meaning.
Bike mural in Palermo (photo © BA Street Art)
Is there a reason why you chose this spot to paint?
There’s no reason in particular. I wanted to paint along the train line and my girlfriend lives nearby.
Mart’s first bike at CCEBA (photo © BA Street Art)
When did you first start to paint bicycles?
The first time I painted a bicycle was at the exhibtion at CCEBA (Centro Cultural de España en Buenos Aires, in April 2010) in the ex-orphanage with a theme of games, activities, movement and children. However, I had made other drawings of bikes before completing this painting.
Bike mural painted at CCEBA (photo © BA Street Art)
Why do you like painting bicycles?
Ever since I was a child I rode my bike around Buenos Aires. My parents let me cycle all over the city and there were never any problems. I was usually by myself or with a friend, I enjoyed it so much and many times my mind would wander when I went on these journeys. I enjoyed it more when I was alone and now I still go go out on my bike. I think that that’s the connection (with my art), it’s not that I go out every day on my bike, nor is it anything to do with the cycle routes or bicycles being in fashion, I’ve always ridden a bike and I’ll carry on doing it.
Bike mural in Almagro (photo © BA Street Art)
What is it that the bicycle does for you, is it the freedom?
A journey is like life itself. You can be free but you can also feel trapped in your own thoughts; it of course depends on who you are and in what state of mind you are in. A lot of the time the bike makes you feel free, other times you ride it just for fun, or it’s just a method of transport.
Mural in Almagro, Buenos Aires
It seems a lot of street artists in Buenos Aires like to use their bicycle. Why is this?
I think it’s the first method of transport that we can get hold of and we like to move around the city. It’s easy to do so on a bike, the only complication is carrying a ladder!!
Bike in La Boca (photo © BA Street Art)
Mart and Mea in Palermo (photo © BA Street Art)
See more of Mart’s bicycles and amazing artworks at http://www.airesmart.com.ar/
(This is an updated version of an interview that first appeared in April 2011)
