Artist Spotlight - Blu

by Josephine Blumencwejg

“Blu’s aesthetic search is motivated by a belief in anopen source philosophy. His amazing work stands as truth against politicalevents and other socialistic controversies in today’s modern age.” 

 

Who are you, Blu?

Blu is the pen name of an artist currently living in Bologna Italy. We don’t know his real name and may never know. When you even search up what he looks like in google the closest image we get of him is a shady man (or woman?) in a hoodie.  Seems like a deepthroat sort of mystery with an artistic twist.

Credibility, credibility, credit!!  

This guy does not care if he is recognized or not. He challenges the notions in the current art market, for his murals and videos are free for everyone to view. One day his mural appears, the next it disappears-- either covered by his own art or ruined by the weather, but mostly covered by the authorities.  He is kind of like the modern day art         inspired robin hood: robbing the authorities, giving art to the public.

 

Illegal or Legal?

Before his unique style became recognized by the art world, he would illicitly graffiti paint in the suburbs of bologna. In 1999, his work spanned across the city and galleries started to represent him. In 2001 he changed his medium, from spraypaint to house paint, which he has stuck with ever since. His work spans across the globe: from West Bank, Nicaragua, South America, Eastern Europe, and most of all in Italy.

 

Notable Work:

When Blu gained recognition in the early 2000s, he worked for OK NO, producing animated music videos. What he is probably most famous for to the public are his stop animation films either on vevo or youtube. What really set his work in motion is his collaboration with the artist David Ellis.

My personal favorite, Muto (silent), was painted in Buenos Aires from the fall of 2007 to the spring of 2008. He lived and breathed Argentina, devoting his time to his work. It received many awards, such as the Grand Prix from the festival of Clermont-Ferrand in 2009 and also has over 11 million views on youtube.