Martin Ron has painted a series of breathtaking murals in Buenos Aires. His artworks stand out for their visual impact and grand scale using the technique of hyper-realism combined with elements of fantasy to create unique compositions on walls and buildings. Martin paints impossible situations that give the impression that they are happening in real life. Exclusive interview by Matt Fox-Tucker of Buenos Aires Street Art.
Carlos Tevez
The stunning mural of Carlos Tevéz in Fuerte Apache towers over a tiny football pitch where youngsters aspire to become the World Cup stars of the future. The homage to one of Argentina’s most famous and popular footballers has “immortalized Tevéz” according to Martin Ron, one of the artists who painted the giant portrait together with Lean Frizzera and Emy Mariani. Buenos Aires Street Art was granted special access to take photographs inside Fuerte Apache, regarded as one of the most dangerous places in the world and spoke with Martin about the project. Continue reading →
Carlos Tévez is one of the most famous footballers in the world having played for famous clubs such as Boca Juniors, Manchester United and now Manchester City. He grew up in Fuerte Apache, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the Province of Buenos Aires, where street artists Lean Frizzera, Martín Ron and Emy Mariani have painted a giant mural depicting the striker wearing the colours of the Argentina national team.
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| Martin, Emy and Lean below the mural on a ‘mono block’ |
Lean told us about the project that was organised by the local government and groups in the region of (partido de) Tres de Febrero. “One day they gave us this wall to paint where Carlitos Tévez lived. Carlitos was born in the place with the window underneath. Martin was managing everything and went there to find out what we needed to do. I spoke with him and with Emy and we made a montage on photoshop. They gave us all the materials and a crane and afterwards we went there and painted the mural.”
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| Paste up by Raul Rodini in La Boca |
Fuerte Apache is renowned as one of the most dangerous barrios in Buenos Aires. “To me it is not that unlike the nearby barrio (Lomas del Mirador) where I lived when I was a kid,” said Lean. “It is complicated to enter this place. You can go there but to get in is difficult. You have to enter with somebody who lives there so nothing happens to you. It’s not being paranoid but there are armed police, it’s a rough place.”
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| Stencil graffiti honouring Tévez |
Hundreds of residents with their families turned out to see the trio paint the mural of ‘El Apache’ which took three days to complete. And Lean said the locals in Fuerte Apache were delighted with the finished artwork. “The people were really happy and afterwards we were playing football with the kids who idolize Carlitos.”
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| ‘Touch and go’ |
Street art of Tévez can be found all over the neighbourhood of Ejercito de los Andes and also in the Federal Capital of Buenos Aires.
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| Mural of Tévez in La Boca |
This weekend is the biggest match of domestic football season, el superclásico. Boca Juniors take on River Plate in La Bombonera in the fixture described as the most intense rivalry in world football.
