Last week, over the course of three days from Thursday to Saturday the first LATA Street Culture Festival took place at the Red Gallery in Shoreditch, comprising an exhibition, live painting, film and workshops, all dedicated to exhibiting established, along with upcoming Brazilian artists. The festival was curated and organized by Brazilarty and Pigment, who both did superb work in their task.

We attended the opening night of the group exhibition on Thursday night and were impressed by the range of styles and works on offer in this small exhibition. We were familiar with two of the artists in this group, having both painted in London this year, but were delighted to also get to see works in the gallery as well as on the street by a further four artists previously unknown to us.

We were also fortunate enough to catch various stages of the live painting over Thursday and Saturday, which saw four of the artists transform this corner of Old Street into something exceptionally colourful and delightful, all in a range of styles, with the pieces by Goms & Waleska Nomura being our favourites. We had plenty to see and subsequently photo and then share with you now. So first we have the exhibition pieces followed by the Street Art and live painting below, all from what was a great well-rounded event, that we hope to see return to London next year.

Onesto is a diverse artist, working as a sculptor, painter and using varying multimedia mediums. His distinctive and instantaneously recognizable characters attempt to “discuss the relationship between cities and their inhabitants“, infusing his work with subjects that are drawn from common moments of everyday life.

”A Danca – Duco & Acrylic on Canvas by Onesto.

‘Desconfianca’ – Duco & Acrylic on Canvas by Onesto.

Waleska Nomura is an entirely self-taught artist, who started her career as a Graffiti Writer on the streets of Sao Paulo, moving onto canvas and developing her own brand of warm and soulful characters taking her work in a more figurative direction on the streets. Her work is currently driven by her message of “Spreading the Love and Positive Energy to the World”. 

‘Still Believing’ – Mixed Media on Canvas by Waleska Nomura

‘Focusing On Love’ – Mixed Media on Canvas by Waleska Nomura.

Onio became a Graffiti Writer at the age of thirteen, working with a style of abstract drawings and images made from mixed spray techniques along with water base paint. His abstract and colourful works are set to depict the urban chaos he has witnessed in his native Brazil.

Fanzine 2014 – Laser Print by Onio.

‘Sunshine In Jupiter’ – Screen Print by Onio.

Ananda Nahu has been painting since 2005 and typically creates portraiture of black women accompanied by music symbols, using the bright colours of her native Brazil, blended with intricate stencils designs applied to a range of mediums, including, paper, canvas and fabrics.

‘Medium’ – Acrylic on Canvas by Anando Naha.

Thiago ‘Goms’, strongly influenced by Street Art from an early age, took up painting in the streets as a teenager. His anthropomorphic characters fuse into hybrid creations, with animals, typically cats, taking on a human personality.

‘Construcac’ – Acrylic on Paper by Goms.

‘Homeless’ – Silk Screen by Goms.

Waleska Nomura at work on her piece on Thursday.

Onio & Waleska Nomura at work on her piece on Thursday.

Waleska Nomura at work on her piece on Thursday.

Onio at work on his piece on Thursday.

Thiago Goms at work on Thursday.

Onesto at work on Saturday.

Finished work from Waleska Nomura & Onio along Old Street.

Finished work from Waleska Nomura & Onio along Old Street.

Finished work from Waleska Nomura & Onio along Old Street.

Finished work from Waleska Nomura.

Finished work from Waleska Nomura.

Finished work from Waleska Nomura.

Finished work from Waleska Nomura.

Finished work from Onio.

Finished work from Onio.

Finished work from Onesto.

Finished work from Onesto.

Detail of work from Onesto.

Detail of work from Onesto.

Work by Thiago Goms.

Detail of work by Thiago Goms.