Pixação
Encyclopedia
Pixação or Pichação is a unique form of graffiti
native to São Paulo
and Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
. It consists of tagging
done in a distinctive, cryptic style, mainly on walls and vacant buildings. Many pixação artists compete to paint in high and inaccessible places, using such techniques as free climbing
and abseiling
to reach the locations. Pixação has inspired and formed many Brazilian street artists, such as Os Gêmeos
and Nunca (Francisco Rodrigues da Silva
).
Although Pixação is no longer made up of political statements, but names, it is still a social statement.
Pixação is a “vehicle for the youth of the city to assert their existence and self-worth, and to do it loudly. As a social protest, Pixação is brutal, effective and pulls no punches. There is no country on earth with a worse distribution of wealth than Brazil. For the rich, there are nice buildings. For the poor, there are shanty towns. Pixação exists on the very surface of the constested wealth, and promises to keep on punishing the fortunate until they produce a world less punishing to begin with.” .
, pichadores use spray paint. Many pichadores write their crew name, while others write their own individual name. The letters are usually of equal height and spacing, although technique varies in different cities around Brazil. Although the lettering originally reflected the typography of eighties heavy metal record covers, the styles have evolved over time.
Pichadores often compete to tag the tallest, most dangerous, and most noteworthy locations. One example of this is the group Os Diferentes, who tagged the Cristo Redemtor
statue in Rio de Janeiro
, a national and international symbol of Brazil. Although caught and arrested, they bragged about it the next day.
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
native to São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
and Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It consists of tagging
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
done in a distinctive, cryptic style, mainly on walls and vacant buildings. Many pixação artists compete to paint in high and inaccessible places, using such techniques as free climbing
Free climbing
Free climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber uses only hands, feet and other parts of the body to ascend, employing ropes and forms of climbing protection to prevent falls only....
and abseiling
Abseiling
Abseiling , rappelling in American English, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope; climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.- Slang terms :...
to reach the locations. Pixação has inspired and formed many Brazilian street artists, such as Os Gêmeos
Os Gêmeos
Os Gêmeos are graffiti artist identical twin brothers from São Paulo, Brazil, whose real names are Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo. They started painting graffiti in 1987 and gradually became a main influence in the local scene, helping to define Brazil's own style...
and Nunca (Francisco Rodrigues da Silva
Francisco Rodrigues da Silva
Francisco Rodrigues da Silva is a prominent Brazilian "grafiteiro" artist who uses a graffiti technique to create images that confront modern urban Brazil with its native past...
).
History
Pixação, known also as "wall writings," began in the 1940s and 50s as political statements written in tar and “were often written in response to the slogans painted by political parties across the streets.” . “Piche” is the Portuguese word for tar, so Pixação refers to writings made in it. In the 1970s, Pixação almost disappeared, however it was revived in the 1980s by a group of kids who began writing their names, and the names of their crews, instead of political slogans. .Although Pixação is no longer made up of political statements, but names, it is still a social statement.
Pixação is a “vehicle for the youth of the city to assert their existence and self-worth, and to do it loudly. As a social protest, Pixação is brutal, effective and pulls no punches. There is no country on earth with a worse distribution of wealth than Brazil. For the rich, there are nice buildings. For the poor, there are shanty towns. Pixação exists on the very surface of the constested wealth, and promises to keep on punishing the fortunate until they produce a world less punishing to begin with.” .
Public Reaction
Pixação, in relation to murals or other types of graffiti, “is at times a tough sell even to graffiti aficionados, but anyone painting in the streets of Brazil must give it a tip of the hat, for it certainly makes other street artwork, rudely illegal or otherwise, appear a generous community service in comparison.”Methods
Although its name is derived from the word for tar, many of the “pichadores” (those who do Pixação) in Sao Paulo use a 2-3 inch foam roller and latex paint. In other cities, such as Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, pichadores use spray paint. Many pichadores write their crew name, while others write their own individual name. The letters are usually of equal height and spacing, although technique varies in different cities around Brazil. Although the lettering originally reflected the typography of eighties heavy metal record covers, the styles have evolved over time.
Pichadores often compete to tag the tallest, most dangerous, and most noteworthy locations. One example of this is the group Os Diferentes, who tagged the Cristo Redemtor
Christ the Redeemer (statue)
Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; considered the largest Art Deco statue in the world and the 5th largest statue of Jesus in the world. It is tall, including its pedestal, and wide. It weighs 635 tonnes , and is located at the peak of the Corcovado...
statue in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, a national and international symbol of Brazil. Although caught and arrested, they bragged about it the next day.
External links
- What is pixacao? From the Juxtapoz magazine special Brazil issue.
- Pixação videos we love: pixação’s barbarian alphabet