Lover Baba: Spreading the love

The smiling dribbling face of Lover Baba is a common sight on walls all over Buenos Aires. The creator of Lover Baba is Pancho V who told BA Street Art a little about his loveable character.

Baba in Spanish means dribble but who or what is Lover Baba?

Lover Baba signifies love and he loves everyone equally from the invisible microparticles to the view of each star in the infinite cosmos.

Why do you paint Lover Baba?

Because I believe that the city already is too full of objects, shapes and colours that don’t transmit a good vibe. One the other hand they are part of a system that dehumanizes and distances each individual from positive emotions that fill the heart with happiness. I’ve painted him all over the Federal Capital, in the Province of Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata, Rosario, Santa Fé, Bariloche, Jujuy, Salta, also in Bolivia and Brazil.

With designs by Gualicho and Chu (2007) underneath

What does the image of Lover Baba mean to you and those who see him?
To me, Lover Baba means the opportunity to get a smile and make the people who see him happy. Thousands of years ago, the first forms of graffiti represented ceremonies and methods of hunting on the walls of caves, today Lover Baba represents love on the walls of cities.

Lover Baba with another design by Chu

How did the idea and design for Lover Baba come about?

The idea to paint Lover Baba arose during a chat with Chu six years ago and the initial idea was to come up with a powerful image that was simple and quick to make.

Lover Baba at Intervención Magenta

In what different forms have you painted Lover Baba?

I have painted Lover Baba in lots of different media, with different materials and in many colours. In La Plata for example, I painted him in magenta as part of an intervention in La Plata. I have also made him in ceramics and print form.

Volador (flyer)

Has Lover Baba got a family, or brothers or sisters? 

His children are (the characters) Volador, Abrazador, Cabeza en las nubes, Fulbito and Propulsion a pedo. Baba’s family is constantly growing and evolving like humans from ancient times and it will carry on doing this.

Abrazador (hugger), another of Pancho V’s fictional characters

Propulsion a pedo (fart power)

What plans does Lover Baba have in the future?