One of Bellavista´s many painted walls. Photo by Kendal Montgomery.
Many things have happened in the neighborhood which used to be known as "La Chimba." Packed with restaurants, bars, karaokes, art galleries and museums, it has transformed into a favorite among tourists, national and international, and taken the name Barrio Bellas Artes (named after the closest metro stop) or Barrio Bellavista, which has brought forth projects such as "Patio Bellavista," a center of luxury artisan goods, bars and restaurants with international tourists especially in mind.
In addition to all this commercialization and bohemia, located mainly between streets José Miguel de La Barra, Pio Nono, Constitución and Bellavista, toward the Dominca and Loreto sector, there is a powerful demonstration, which from time to time makes you stop and think.
Street art, which adorns the area´s walls and old facades, colorful, challenging, confrontational.
One its most famous exponents is the superbly named Yisa, a self-proclaimed graffiti artist at heart, who like any other artist, felt the pulse of color, to go out in the street and show it, to go to the place which provoked inspiration. This young man´s mark are opulent and colorful figures, phalluses that look like horses, crowned molars, diamonds, etc. It is quite stimulating to the eyes and mind.
Another well-known in the neighborhood, is Piguán, who uses cultural designs, and a somewhat spatial syncretism —the figures represented can be identified with humanity on one hand, while on the other, taking you out of this world to show other forms and clothing. This young man has left his stamp of pensive, almost worried looking figures in nostalgic landscapes around the neighborhood.
It is important to stress that these artists all work with their own materials, giving us personal expression, sharing a message, saying things to the world, often making unfavorable compromises in order to obtain paints, spray cans, etc. Decorating the environment, they bring life to abandoned, dirty places, revive inspiration; and yet many people still complain, they don´t enjoy it and interpret these statements as if they were only "scribbles." So here, the invitation is to stop, observe, appreciate and be thankful, as I wish we did every day of our lives and with everything we came across
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