ROA’s Magic Naturalism: Street Art’s Wild Kingdom in Mexico

February 5, 2011 Artists, On the Street

An ant eater inspects a new friend in a small town near San Miguel De Allende in Mexico. Piece by ROA (copyright Roa)

“It was magic, Mexico”

ROA continues at the pace of a hungry prairie dog running across landscapes dusty and rusted in search of a fitting tableau for his traveling animal reserve. Fans of the Belgian Street Artist are accustomed to his rats and birds and furry creatures climbing rugged weathered urban walls in Europe and the US. More recently ROA discovered the enchanted sunlight that warms the winter earthen hues of central Mexico at the invitation of Gonzalo Alvarez of Mamutt Arte.

A buzzard adorns this abandoned construction in an agricultural area north of Mexico City. ROA (photo copyright Roa)

This “still life” by ROA is in collaboration with MUJAM (The Antique Toy Museum of Mexico City) (photo copyright Roa)

“I love to integrate the native animals of the country I visit,” he relates as he talks about the armadillo, buzzards, raccoon, anteater, and fighting cock he gave to his hosts in the metropolis Mexico City and a bit north in the tiny town of Jamaica in the State of Guanajuato. Part naturalist and part social activist, ROA gives center stage to the underdogs of the natural world as if to elevate their status among the lions and peacocks of the planet.

“This big armadillo was a new one for me, ” says the artist about his piece on the facade of The House of Cauce Ciudadano A.C., a non-profit youth services center that serves young people in Mexico City. ROA (photo copyright Roa)

Adhering to an austere monochrome palette, he swiftly renders his realist studies using cans and a variety of caps over a rollered silhouette of blanco, if necessary. With wiley coyote agility, a sharply assessing eye and an audacious appetite for painting as many walls as you can source for him, this quick-moving Street Artist continues to populate the wild ROA kingdom wherever he migrates.

A visit to a farm raising roosters in Jamaica, Guanajuato inspired ROA to create a fowl portrait on the side of a home (below) (photo copyright Roa)

ROA (photo copyright Roa)

…….BSA…………….BSA…………………BSA…………..BSA…………….BSA…………………BSA

ROA would like to extend a big thanks for everything to the wonderful people who welcomed him in Mexico, particularly Gonzalo at Mamutt Arte and Roberto from MUJAM.

MUJAM (MUSEO DEL JUGUETE ANTIGUO MEXICO) http://toymuseummexico.com/

Click here to learn more about Cauce Ciudadado C.A.