My artistic journey to become a contemporary urban fine artist and artivista started very young. I arrived in Germany as a child of political refugees from Chile and from then on growing up in different parts of the country. In the midst of Europe, I broadened my horizons in terms of intercultural exchange and learned how to deal with issues of social justice and community. Both my parents raised me in an academic environment, which quickly made me realize the privileges of my childhood.
At the end of 1997, I moved to Berlin at the age of 15 to complete my German high-school diploma at Heinrich-Schliemann-Gymnasium. Moving out early and living in the capital offered me endless opportunities to broaden my horizons and engage with the art world.
Berlin offered me a diverse and vibrant art scene, which significantly influenced my creative expression and approach to art.
It also became increasingly clear to me that I wanted to gain a foot in the creative sector and combine multiple disciplines in my work. For this reason, I decided to apply to the FHTW (Fachhochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft). Luckily, I was accepted straight after my first attempt at the aptitude test and began to delve into the world of photography, illustration and graphics. The course also gave me a deeper insight into visual culture and its influence on society and the history of art and design.
In my third year of studies, after my undergraduate degree, a very formative period began for me, in which I started to deal mainly with my own identity and position in this world.
In the late 90s and early 2000s, I witnessed how a city like Berlin, which had been divided for years, was finally merging into one, a lot was in motion and many things that had seemed set in stone for so long were falling apart and beginning to redefine themselves. Of course that triggered something in me. …
All the interesting creative minds that were now settling in Berlin brought the world into my chosen home and I realized how much I wanted to belong to this universe.
This ultimately confronted me with my own identity. Was I now Latina, Chilean, child of political refugees, East German, West German, German, European, foreigner? – There were so many labels and all of them were true and then there weren’t. It was time to take a different approach – and to research where it all began – my birth country, Chile.
This first stay in South America was to be crucial for the rest of my creative development. In the almost two years I spent there, I got to know one of the most important muralists and urban artists and became a figurehead for Chile on my own. I began to take part in festivals and make a name for myself in the national scene. It was also in South America where I first perceived a sense of community around the fusion of art and activism.
The experience of bringing art into the public space and interacting directly with people touched me deeply from then on. It was and still is, in my eyes, a powerful way to address social issues and achieve an immediate positive response.
This experience had a lasting impact on my artistic direction and inspired me to make urban art and “artivism” my main form of artistic expression. This is how the idea for Project Wallflowers started to bloom.
All these acquired skills helped me to strengthen my “artivist approach to art” in the following years. Studying Communication Design at the FHTW gave me exactly the puzzle piece I needed to create a long-term art project like “PROJECT WALLFLOWERS” in 2013 and start traveling the world in the process.
My studies in communication design and illustration gave me a solid foundation in the technical and theoretical aspects of art. It has helped me to structure my ideas clearly and communicate them effectively. These skills are especially useful when it comes to conceptualizing complex projects or working with different media on location.
My art is a fusion of my Latin American Motherland & my Homebase in the middle of Europe.
The vibrant colors and organic shapes of my work reflect the vibrant culture and nature of Latin America, while the structure and precision often reveal German or European influences. This dual identity allows me to develop a unique symbolism and syncretism that runs through all my works. The tensions and harmonies between these two cultures are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for me.
Birds are a central motif in my artwork.
For me, they symbolize freedom, wisdom and peace. In my “cosmovision”, birds stand for free spirits that master the ups and downs of life. Their ability to move freely in the air and cover great distances fascinates me and reflects my own desire for creative freedom and movement.
They are nomads and represent connection and migration, which matches my own experience of living between different cultures.
Ever since I was little, my father told me how we reached Germany in a metallic bird – we crossed the Andes, the Atlantic Ocean and so much more to finally be safe.
In my paintings, they represent the voice of reason, because it is the birds that see everything from a much wider perspective and understand the feeling of “Oneness”. They are witnesses of time, reminding us with their song of seasons and the cyclical letting go. It is the birds that herald a new day.
Every trip, every project is an opportunity to learn something new, develop my techniques and gain insights into human nature.
My travels and participation in international projects have broadened my artistic horizons enormously.
These experiences allow me to get to know other cultures and artistic approaches, some of which were previously foreign to me or difficult to gain a deeper insight into.
The interaction with other artists and the communities, as well as the organizations and institutions that deal with the realities on the ground on a daily basis, have enriched my creative practice many times over and bring new perspectives to my work as an artivista every time.
The themes and motifs of my murals are often created in dialog with the surroundings and the people I work with.
I draw inspiration from the stories, traditions and challenges of the communities.
I also often feel a deeper personal connection to certain themes based on my own experiences and cultural background. My goal is to create art that speaks to the viewer and addresses relevant social and cultural issues.
Artivism, a combination of the words “art” and “activism”, describes the use of art as a tool for social and political change.
One important area of artivism is urban art, particularly muralism, which involves the creation of large-scale murals in urban spaces.
This art form goes beyond aesthetic beautification and serves as a powerful medium to convey messages, empower communities and draw attention to social issues.
In many cities around the world, communities and organizations are promoting urban art projects to strengthen cultural identity and support socio-economic change. In this way, muralism not only enriches the urban landscape, but also contributes to collective reflection and social change.
Inspired by the words of Pablo Neruda, who once said: “The walls are the books of the people“, my intention was to create a stage for empowerment and international dialog.
Based on this fundamental idea, the long-term art project “PROJECT WALLFLOWERS” was launched in 2013.
Over the last 10 years of existence I have had the great honor to collaborate with various organizations and institutions in countries such as Chile, Patagonia, Peru, Bolivia, Tunisia, Egypt, China, Spain, Poland, The Netherlands, France, Zimbabwe, Brazil and the USA.
Each project is a cosmos in itself and yet they all overlap in one point: the desire for more humanity and better coexistence.
Project Wallflowers has become a concept that allows me to connect different cultures and social issues through art and have a positive impact on communities.
Just like the flowers and plants that grow steadily and peacefully on walls and still manage to break down walls with perseverance and a little color, I have set myself the goal of breaking down the walls in our heads and promoting dialogue for better coexistence.
Throughout the years, I have found that it makes sense to divide all the topics into different programs so that you can address the issues more intensively and have more room for action on the ground. I realized that it’s not just about murals, but that storytelling can be so invariably rich in opportunities for expression.
Therefore, such projects as The Colorwood Movement, C.A.LL.E., #StayWithHumanity, The Blooming Seeds and De FLores y Canto were created. What they all have in common is the artistic confrontation with their own stories and emerging stronger from them.
Collaboration with the local communities is an essential aspect of the work process. It is important for me to include their experience and encounters and to learn from them so that the work I leave behind is not just decorative, but also reflects the identity and stories of the community.
Working in public spaces comes with many challenges, from logistical issues to legal permissions. The weather can also be an unpredictable variable.
Despite these challenges, the joys outweigh the difficulties: the direct interaction with the community, the opportunity to transform a public space, and the immediate impact my art has on people.
It is incredibly fulfilling to see how my work enriches people’s lives and has the potential to beautify their surroundings.
My wish is that the audience can briefly escape their daily lives and pause to experience a moment of joy and peace when they discover my work in their neighborhood, in galleries and art centers or through social media.
I hope that people feel inspired and connected through my work. My art should serve as food for their soul – “Alimento para el Alma”.
