Chax Crea has painted a new striking mural of Argentine rap artist Acru in Coghlan, Buenos Aires. The project was sponsored by BA Street Art.
‘A Team’ – Chax painting (photo © BA Street Art)
Chax Crea is an artist, who lives in San Andres de Giles, Buenos Aires and is a huge fan of Acru. He told BA Street Art why he wanted to paint the rapper and freestyle king.
Chax Crea painting details with spray cans (photo © BA Street Art)
“The idea for the mural was to portray Acru, he’s an artist and musician well-known for rap and freestyle, who also paints and is deeply involved in hip-hop and graffiti culture,” revealed Chax. “My portrait is a representation of his courage, and the crown signifies a king, but it’s melting with the heat and energy he possesses.”
Gold melting & eye for detail (photo © BA Street Art)
Chax added: “The gold is melting, and this aspect of his aura is also melting, and he’s holding the microphone, also signifying his potential. In the background, he has the characteristic ‘A’ on his entire body. This is the general idea.”
Maté break (photo © BA Street Art)
Chax was born in Misiones but grew up in Berazategui in the district of Quilmes, Buenos Aires. He explained how he got interested in graffiti and started painting in the street. “When I was a kid, I loved seeing the graffiti on the wagons and trains. I was always drawing a lot and the graffiti pieces were fascinating to me.”
New look (photo © BA Street Art)
Chax has participated in international graffiti festivals in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Florianópolis and cites the graffiti artists who he admires and have had an influence on his art include Does1 (Brazil), Does (Netherlands), Saturno (Spain) plus Dame and Risa in Argentina.
Painting in the street (photo © BA Street Art)
He added: “I’ve been painting for about 20 years now. I initially learned on my own, then for a while I learned drawing techniques, realism, and graffiti. Then I started a studying art at university but living so far away from the campus I had to give it up. So someday who knows? Maybe I might like to return to continue my studies. ”
Spray cans (photo © BA Street Art)
Chax paints predominantly with aerosol and often alongside many top graffiti artists from Argentina and Brazil. He’s also participated in many international graffiti festivals in South America. “I don’t know if I consider myself a graffiti artist or street artist, I consider myself an artist before anything else. I don’t know how to define myself. I just love painting! And I try to show through my art that I’m an original guy and that’s what I want to convey that on the walls. What I hope is that my art can transmit an idea, a feeling, or an emotion to the person who sees it – that it can have an impact.”
Rapper Acru (photo © BA Street Art)
Chax’s mural has already helped changed the urban landscape in Coghlan and while we were helping with the organisation and photographing the process, many neighbours and passers-by stopped to say nice things or comment that it’s great to have more cool art in the area.
Details with brushes (photo © BA Street Art)
Chax (right) in front of the completed mural (photo © BA Street Art)
“The experience of painting here was wonderful,” recalls Chax. “The neighbourhood is very quiet and people would walk by and see me, asking who I was. They seem to really like the colours and everything. Maybe they didn’t know who Acru is but I think they liked the style and what the mural conveys. And that’s a part of being an artist that I really love – you don’t need to know who the subject is but what’s important to me is feeling the sensation or emotion it transmits in that moment. That’s why I like painting in the street, because some people might like it, and some people might not.”
Finished mural (photo © BA Street Art)
All photos © BA Street Art. Project organised & sponsored by BA Street Art.
