Street Art: Internet Is The New Jesus

Meet Pastel and his white-board textures. The street artist painted his first piece of the year on the walls of Buenos Aires. The mural represents the sixteen battles that took place during the “Triple Alliance War” in Paraguay in 1864. The layering of white paint onto a black canvas, reminiscent of charcoal on a black board, gives the piece a youthful quality. It almost appears as if the artist is giving the viewer a history lesson on the war. Pastel studied architecture in college and it shows in his use of shapes. The piece has the tribal quality of vodoo art, merging geometrical shapes and organic elements. His work is currently more conceptual than it once was. Inspired by philosophy, Pastel says he is driven by the “need to have a concept behind the painting. I don’t paint just to paint. I need the work to tell something.” In order to share the depth of his work, the artist understands the need for photographers and bloggers. The internet allows for street art to last through time (instead of vanishing when it is inevitably painted over) and reach a wide audience. We are lucky not to have to travel to Argentina to get a glimpse into Pastel’s mind. Very aware of the internet’s essential role; Pastel raves: “It’s the new Jesus.”