#franciscodiaz

[scenefromthesidewalk]

June 20, 2018

352WALLS, GAINESVILLE

by Pastel

First conceived in 2015, the 352walls Project in Gainesville, Florida has now curated the creation of more than 30 murals, several by renowned international artists but also many providing opportunities for local art talent. First-year participant from Buenos Aires, Francisco Diaz, aka Pastel, trained as an architect but has been creating murals around the world since 2009. Pastel refers to his street art as “urban acupuncture”—typically working with flora to bring dialogue about man and his surroundings to the “non-places” of the city. For this mural at Main Street and NW 1st Avenue 352walls reports Pastel spent his time after arriving in Gainesville simply walking around the city “uprooting the weeds, grasses, and tiny native wild flowers he used for this mural.”  @pastelfd  @352walls  

[scenefromthesidewalk]

February 5, 2018

ARTSCAPE 2017

By Pastel

Originally trained as an architect Argentinian artist Francisco Diaz, aka Pastel, started painting on the street in 2001. In an era of increasing concern about the relationship between art and gentrification Pastel is reinterpreting what it means to paint on the street, telling Athens Street Art Festival he sees his work as “urban acupuncture.” “Modern cities are full of ‘Non-places’ because of irregular and not inclusive master-planning. So, paintings are a kick-start for those places, working on the local identity and not acting as a tool of social gentrification.” With work that always attempts to respond to the specific location this large floral composition painted in Säffle, Sweden for “Artscape 2017, Värmland” warms the side of a residential building on the bank of the Byälven River, creating a lush connection between the simple architecture and its idyllic waterside setting.  @pastelfd  @artscape_festival