Outdoor Gallery NYC author Yoav Litvin recently returned from a five-month trip abroad, where he explored the street art in several key South American cities and towns. I had a chance to catch up with him last week:
Those of us following you on Instagram got a mere glimpse into your incredible adventures on the streets of South America. You visited Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Brazil. What spurred your interest in that region?
I was curious. I had seen amazing works from South America online, and while I exploring the streets of NYC, I had met a number of South American artists.
In what ways did your findings meet your expectations?
I expected to be blown away and inspired. And I was — beyond any expectations.
What were some of the highlights of your trip?
There were so many! Among them were: walking around the streets of Lima with Entes; coming unexpectedly upon an art festival in La Paz, Bolivia and being in São Paulo during its 3rd annual Graffiti Fine Art Biennial.
Do any particular impressions stand out?
The juxtaposition between Peru’s rich culture and history and its current street art particularly struck me. And navigating Bogota was what NYC was like for me in the early 80’s. I always had to keep my eyes open!
What about some of the challenges along the way?
The biggest challenge — I would say — was the language. And living in the Vidigal favela in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro certainly was an experience.
Where do you think the street art scene in South America is going? Do you think it will continue to remain so authentic?
It is difficult to generalize as each city and town is unique. But I suspect that it will continue to thrive.
What’s next for you?
This Wednesday evening, May 27, I will be speaking about my personal style as a street art and graffiti documentarian, along with the role — as I see it — of the street art photographer. After sharing some of my experiences in photographing NYC street art and graffiti and publishing Outdoor Gallery NYC, I will speak about my recent trip abroad and present many images of street art that I photographed in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Brazil. The event will take place 7:00 – 9:00pm at Nowhere Studios, 582 Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn.
Note: All photographs © Yoav Litvin, 2015
1. Inti, Santiago, Chile
2. Gonzalo Sánchez “Painters”, Valparaíso, Chile
3. Stinkfish and the APC Crew, Bogota, Colombia
4. Entes & Pésimo & 5. Decertor, Lima, Peru
6. Marcelo Ment & 7. Tarm1, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
8. Nove, São Paulo, Brazil
9. Apitatan, Quito, Ecuador
