Fio Silva paints Street Art Murals Across Europe

I first became aware of Fio Silva through an international competition. It had been arranged by the Spring Projects to find ‘The Next Best Thing‘ in street art. Entrants from all around the World were whittled down to five. Then just one in a painstaking process to find a street art star of the future. A person who had the ability and talent to crossover and be recognised the World over. It was as a judge as part of this process that I got to know Fio’s work in the suburbs of Buenos Aires.

Now, although the streets of London are a far cry from home. This is where Fio Silva finds herself. Painting the walls of the city having won the Spring Projects ‘Next Best Thing‘ talent contest.

Fio Silva outside her wall in the centre of Shoreditch. Photo by Rob Wilson Jnr

European Mural Tour

Flying to Europe was a first having never previously been on a plane before or even held a passport. She first touched down in Bologna, the home of Spring Projects founder Bri Patty. Painting a quick wall there with locally based Dutch artist Zedz. Her next stop was London where she would ultimately paint at the Femme Fierce festival. This would be taking place in the famous Banksy Tunnel underneath Londons Waterloo.

FioSilva’s first London wall was to be in the up and coming artist hotspot of Croydon. The area had hosted a warm up to the Femme Fierce festival some weeks before. That was in the newly dubbed ‘Croydon Arts Quarter‘. A trip to North London the day after saw her paint as part of the exciting Turnpike Arts Project. This was followed by trips into Shoreditch to paint at the famous Shoreditch Art Wall. She culminated her London tour by painting inside Montys Bar. A famous street art hangout on Brick Lane.

Buenos Aires to London

All this activity was packaged around the main event on International Womens Day 8 March 2015. Fio Silva joined over 150 female street artists to transform the famous Banksy tunnel. This was to be as a part of the Worlds biggest all female street art festival, Femme Fierce. Such was the interest in her home country she was also invited for an audience with the Argentinian ambassador. This, the culmination of a whirlwind tour in which she left her mark on the city. All this prior to leaving in order to paint walls in Amsterdam, Barcelona and Milan.

Fio grew in up Hurlingham in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, an industrial neighbourhood with humble people. Growing up she describes it as a time of “cute and fun experiences”. It was here in Hurlingham where her love of art was also born although painting outside was a late response to a personal tragedy. Today though she says “it is what I love to do and what I need to do above all things.”

Fio painting her wall in Montys Bar, Brick Lane

Inspiration and Public Space

Her inspirations she says, come from her relationships. Her family history and her neighbours. “I think all the situations that I experienced were and are inspirations for what I do” says Fio. “There is no place that I love to paint more than the streets. I think it is the best place to express what I do. It’s public and everyone has access to see what you do.”

In Argentina, as in much of South America, street art is a lot more ingrained in the culture. “The public space is open to all” explains Fio. “Both graffiti and urban art, many people go to work in the streets and most people accept it and like it”. Finding wall space is not an issue with people willing to offer up their walls and doors. “It is socially accepted” she explains. Even to the point that many councils go some way to encouraging it. Street art murals have become a kind of mini-industry.

At her first wall in London in the Croydon Arts Quarter

Shape and Colour

“Changing the colour, shape and the content of a wall is mind blowing” says Fio. Explaining further what attracts her to the streets. “People understand it, are suprised and feel connected to it. Maybe there is this person walking to work every day. Always next to this gray and empty wall, but then one day it is alive again with new colors. Something that perhaps moves. It evokes something in the people.”

And that is perhaps what drives her to paint her dynamic murals. Animals fused with organic things such as leaves, branches and trees. “I love to paint things that are moving” says Fio. “They are not static things, they mutate to become that change”. For Fio movement seems to be key in her art. Any casual observer would be able to see that too. The energy with which she embraces her murals is obvious to see.

Taking part in the Turnpike Arts Group project in North London

Expressing Force

“I love to paint animals, I love to paint things that are moving. Things that express force! I think these are concepts that have much weight in my life…I believe that everyone needs to move, everything moves, something ends and something else begins, everything. Often I try to represent all that in an animal.”

This was a theme picked up by photographer Alexandra Henry. Also a judge on the panel responsible for identifying Fio as the winner of the ‘Next Big Thing’ project. “Fio Silva and her street art strongly represent the pool of incredible female talent emerging in South America.” said Alexandra. “With animals and nature as her central focus. She brings attention to movement, change, and evolution, reminding us that nothing is permanent.”

Fio Silva painting on the Shoreditch Art Wall by Rob Wilson Jnr

The Next Big Thing

London and Europe now represent a new canvas for this lover of movement. A new place in which to paint her dynamic animals. “Winning this competition meant something really amazing in my life” said Fio. “Actually, I never thought that something like this could happen. I always thought that something like this could only ever happen in a movie or something like that. I never even went on a plane in my life, and I am one of the happiest people on the planet.”

“In life you never have to stop looking and being curious with every single thing that happens around you” Fio says. “The street is a beautiful place to say something, to express art, to protest, to know the other. I am grateful for all the people I met in this constant search. I never cease to be grateful for life, in both the good and in the bad because it is all part of the same thing.”

Fio Silva is an Argentinian street artist who won the international ‘Next Best Thing’competition. Organised in a collaboration between the Spring Projects and Femme Fierce. She was interviewed via email prior to her journey to London. Since in Europe she has painted in London, Bologna, Milan, Amsterdam and Barcelona as part of a two week tour.