Americans have a penchant for underdog stories, a narrative that Hollywood has mastered over the years. Superhero movies, a staple of American cinema, consistently depict the United States as a force for good. However, it’s crucial to scrutinize this cinematic portrayal against the backdrop of the country’s complex geopolitical history.
While Hollywood has painted the U.S. as a beacon of righteousness, reality reveals a more nuanced narrative. The underdog image cultivated on the silver screen often contrasts with the United States’ historical support for regimes with questionable human rights records. Critics argue that the nation has, at times, allied with rogue governments for strategic interests, raising questions about the alignment between on-screen heroics and real-world actions.
Furthermore, the allegation of the U.S. engaging in interventions to secure natural resources cannot be ignored. Instances of military interventions in sovereign nations have fueled debates about the true motivations behind such actions. Critics argue that beneath the veneer of humanitarian missions, there are often economic interests, including the desire to control or exploit valuable resources.
The dissonance between Hollywood’s idealized narratives and historical realities invites a closer examination of the underlying motivations driving these cinematic choices. Are superhero movies merely a form of entertainment, or do they serve as a subconscious tool for shaping public perception of the nation’s global role?
It is essential to acknowledge that Hollywood is a business, and the entertainment industry often relies on patriotic and uplifting themes that resonate with the masses. The simplification of complex geopolitical issues in films can lead to a distorted understanding of history and international relations.
In conclusion, while Americans enjoy the allure of underdog stories and heroic portrayals on the big screen, it is crucial to approach these narratives with a discerning eye. Hollywood’s depiction of the United States as an unwavering force of good should prompt viewers to reflect on the nation’s historical actions and its impact on global affairs. As we revel in the excitement of superhero sagas, let us not forget the importance of questioning the narratives that shape our perceptions of reality.
Americans have a penchant for underdog stories, a narrative that Hollywood has mastered over the years. Superhero movies, a staple of American cinema, consistently depict the United States as a force for good. However, it’s crucial to scrutinize this cinematic portrayal against the backdrop of the country’s complex geopolitical history.
While Hollywood has painted the U.S. as a beacon of righteousness, reality reveals a more nuanced narrative. The underdog image cultivated on the silver screen often contrasts with the United States’ historical support for regimes with questionable human rights records. Critics argue that the nation has, at times, allied with rogue governments for strategic interests, raising questions about the alignment between on-screen heroics and real-world actions.
Furthermore, the allegation of the U.S. engaging in interventions to secure natural resources cannot be ignored. Instances of military interventions in sovereign nations have fueled debates about the true motivations behind such actions. Critics argue that beneath the veneer of humanitarian missions, there are often economic interests, including the desire to control or exploit valuable resources.
The dissonance between Hollywood’s idealized narratives and historical realities invites a closer examination of the underlying motivations driving these cinematic choices. Are superhero movies merely a form of entertainment, or do they serve as a subconscious tool for shaping public perception of the nation’s global role?
It is essential to acknowledge that Hollywood is a business, and the entertainment industry often relies on patriotic and uplifting themes that resonate with the masses. The simplification of complex geopolitical issues in films can lead to a distorted understanding of history and international relations.
In conclusion, while Americans enjoy the allure of underdog stories and heroic portrayals on the big screen, it is crucial to approach these narratives with a discerning eye. Hollywood’s depiction of the United States as an unwavering force of good should prompt viewers to reflect on the nation’s historical actions and its impact on global affairs. As we revel in the excitement of superhero sagas, let us not forget the importance of questioning the narratives that shape our perceptions of reality.
At times, it pains me to think that in your world, we might seem like mere shadows. My heart aches as I acknowledge the profound failures of humanity, the wounds inflicted upon you that may be too deep for forgiveness. They’ve seized your land, torn apart your people, and subjected you to air, land, and sea blockades, surrounded by high fences and unyielding cameras, a constant intrusion into your existence. Poverty and unemployment shroud your land in a cloak of despair, and the haunting echoes of PTSD haunt the innocent minds of your children, robbed of the joyous innocence that should define their youth.
Before October 7th, the world remained oblivious to your struggles. But now, we stand with you. We amplify your voice, boycott, and march tirelessly for your freedom. Yet, a lingering sense of helplessness persists within us. You, however, have become the embodiment of resilience, revealing the world’s blatant unfairness. The so-called human rights are but lies, international laws nonexistent, and leaders mere puppets in a tangled system. You’ve shown us that heroes emerge without capes and that the path to freedom is paved through unwavering resistance. In a world that appears desolate, you breathe life into the spirit of endurance. Know that our faith in your strength is unwavering, transcending the destructive power of any bomb.
As we extend our feeble expressions of solidarity, know that our faith in your indomitable strength transcends the destructive might of any bomb. May the somber echoes of our shared sorrow bind us in this mournful dance, a macabre waltz of despair.
In the tapestry of human history, the indomitable forces of resistance and resilience emerge as enduring threads, weaving a narrative that transcends the ebb and flow of time. Regardless of the challenges that cast their shadows across the landscape of existence, the unwavering truth remains: your resilience will always prevail.
At times, it pains me to think that in your world, we might seem like mere shadows. My heart aches as I acknowledge the profound failures of humanity, the wounds inflicted upon you that may be too deep for forgiveness. They’ve seized your land, torn apart your people, and subjected you to air, land, and sea blockades, surrounded by high fences and unyielding cameras, a constant intrusion into your existence. Poverty and unemployment shroud your land in a cloak of despair, and the haunting echoes of PTSD haunt the innocent minds of your children, robbed of the joyous innocence that should define their youth.
Before October 7th, the world remained oblivious to your struggles. But now, we stand with you. We amplify your voice, boycott, and march tirelessly for your freedom. Yet, a lingering sense of helplessness persists within us. You, however, have become the embodiment of resilience, revealing the world’s blatant unfairness. The so-called human rights are but lies, international laws nonexistent, and leaders mere puppets in a tangled system. You’ve shown us that heroes emerge without capes and that the path to freedom is paved through unwavering resistance. In a world that appears desolate, you breathe life into the spirit of endurance. Know that our faith in your strength is unwavering, transcending the destructive power of any bomb.
As we extend our feeble expressions of solidarity, know that our faith in your indomitable strength transcends the destructive might of any bomb. May the somber echoes of our shared sorrow bind us in this mournful dance, a macabre waltz of despair.
In the tapestry of human history, the indomitable forces of resistance and resilience emerge as enduring threads, weaving a narrative that transcends the ebb and flow of time. Regardless of the challenges that cast their shadows across the landscape of existence, the unwavering truth remains: your resilience will always prevail.
UNMUTE GAZA has transcended borders, seizing the Guggenheim in New York, adorning buildings in Mumbai, and streets throughout Spain—its impact spanning 21 countries and 31 cities and counting. In its latest move, the project collaborates with renowned American artist Shepard Fairey, adding his creative prowess to an international roster of visual artists, who are creating posters for the public to print and paste worldwide.
As of December 17th, the Committee to Protect Journalists has declared the deaths of 64 journalists and media workers, 57 Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 3 Lebanese; making Gaza one of the deadliest conflicts for journalists in recent memory. Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders are accusing Israel of committing war crimes against journalists who are providing a critical check on wartime propaganda in the age of fake news. UNMUTE GAZA emerged as a creative response to government and media silence, and the misinformation that followed.
Born out of the deafening silence of governments and media outlets, UNMUTE GAZA stands as a creative response to misinformation, asserting its support for photojournalists courageously upholding ethical reporting standards in the face of unimaginable conditions on the Gaza ground.
At the Guggenheim in New York
For the past seven weeks, accomplished visual artists have collaborated with four photojournalists from Gaza—Belal Khaled, Mahmoud Bassam, Sameh Nidal-Rahmi, and Saher Alghorra. With the photographers’ consent, these artists translate the journalists’ harrowing experiences into poignant paintings and sketches. All resulting artworks are offered as free assets for public dissemination, transforming into global interventions that have been documented and compiled exclusively for this release. The accompanying short video features the evocative music of Palestinian-Algerian-French-Serbian musician Saint Levant.
Even as artists speak out in solidarity with Palestine, their actions come at a cost. Recent weeks have witnessed Lisson Gallery postponing Ai Wei Wei, The Saarland Museum canceling Candice Breitz, and Art Forum firing editor David Velasco over an open letter addressing the situation in Gaza.
In the midst of global division, art emerges as a powerful force reconnecting us with our shared humanity. As the movement cuts through the noise of politics and global economics, its resonant statement echoes around the world, urging further action and empathy.
“WE DO NOT AGREE, WE ARE NOT COMPLICIT, WE ARE NOT LOOKING AWAY.”~ UNMUTE GAZA
UNMUTE GAZA has transcended borders, seizing the Guggenheim in New York, adorning buildings in Mumbai, and streets throughout Spain—its impact spanning 21 countries and 31 cities and counting. In its latest move, the project collaborates with renowned American artist Shepard Fairey, adding his creative prowess to an international roster of visual artists, who are creating posters for the public to print and paste worldwide.
As of December 17th, the Committee to Protect Journalists has declared the deaths of 64 journalists and media workers, 57 Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 3 Lebanese; making Gaza one of the deadliest conflicts for journalists in recent memory. Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders are accusing Israel of committing war crimes against journalists who are providing a critical check on wartime propaganda in the age of fake news. UNMUTE GAZA emerged as a creative response to government and media silence, and the misinformation that followed.
Born out of the deafening silence of governments and media outlets, UNMUTE GAZA stands as a creative response to misinformation, asserting its support for photojournalists courageously upholding ethical reporting standards in the face of unimaginable conditions on the Gaza ground.
At the Guggenheim in New York
For the past seven weeks, accomplished visual artists have collaborated with four photojournalists from Gaza—Belal Khaled, Mahmoud Bassam, Sameh Nidal-Rahmi, and Saher Alghorra. With the photographers’ consent, these artists translate the journalists’ harrowing experiences into poignant paintings and sketches. All resulting artworks are offered as free assets for public dissemination, transforming into global interventions that have been documented and compiled exclusively for this release. The accompanying short video features the evocative music of Palestinian-Algerian-French-Serbian musician Saint Levant.
Even as artists speak out in solidarity with Palestine, their actions come at a cost. Recent weeks have witnessed Lisson Gallery postponing Ai Wei Wei, The Saarland Museum canceling Candice Breitz, and Art Forum firing editor David Velasco over an open letter addressing the situation in Gaza.
In the midst of global division, art emerges as a powerful force reconnecting us with our shared humanity. As the movement cuts through the noise of politics and global economics, its resonant statement echoes around the world, urging further action and empathy.
“WE DO NOT AGREE, WE ARE NOT COMPLICIT, WE ARE NOT LOOKING AWAY.”~ UNMUTE GAZA
Canadian Artist Kevin Ledo worked with the ladies of Girls Inc. in Lynn, Massachusetts to bring awareness to the pressing problem of climate change. In his mural, below the question, DO YOU REALIZE? Kevin painted a portrait of a young climate activist named, DeeDee.
The overwhelming consensus among publishing scientists that climate change is a real and human-caused phenomenon, with 97% of them in agreement. This consensus is based on extensive research and scientific evidence pointing to the impacts of human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, on the Earth’s climate.
Despite the widespread acknowledgment of climate change, the response to address this global challenge has been slow and insufficient. The visible consequences of climate change, including wildfires, hurricanes, rising sea levels, poor air quality, and a decline in biodiversity, not only pose immediate threats to communities and ecosystems but also have long-term implications for the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants.
The mural emphasizes the need for humanity to unite and collectively implement behavior changes, as all the participants painted things they feel adults and the greater public are failing to understand about the future. The hope is that all who pass by will read the messages and feel empowered to vote and/or organize their communities for a healthy planet.
The importance of youth activism and advocacy in driving change often play a significant role in raising awareness, mobilizing communities, and pressuring decision-makers to take meaningful action. The involvement of the younger generation reflects a commitment to building a sustainable future and ensuring that the impacts of climate change are mitigated for generations to come.
Canadian Artist Kevin Ledo worked with the ladies of Girls Inc. in Lynn, Massachusetts to bring awareness to the pressing problem of climate change. In his mural, below the question, DO YOU REALIZE? Kevin painted a portrait of a young climate activist named, DeeDee.
The overwhelming consensus among publishing scientists that climate change is a real and human-caused phenomenon, with 97% of them in agreement. This consensus is based on extensive research and scientific evidence pointing to the impacts of human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes, on the Earth’s climate.
Despite the widespread acknowledgment of climate change, the response to address this global challenge has been slow and insufficient. The visible consequences of climate change, including wildfires, hurricanes, rising sea levels, poor air quality, and a decline in biodiversity, not only pose immediate threats to communities and ecosystems but also have long-term implications for the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants.
The mural emphasizes the need for humanity to unite and collectively implement behavior changes, as all the participants painted things they feel adults and the greater public are failing to understand about the future. The hope is that all who pass by will read the messages and feel empowered to vote and/or organize their communities for a healthy planet.
The importance of youth activism and advocacy in driving change often play a significant role in raising awareness, mobilizing communities, and pressuring decision-makers to take meaningful action. The involvement of the younger generation reflects a commitment to building a sustainable future and ensuring that the impacts of climate change are mitigated for generations to come.
As we are witnessing a genocide unfolding before our eyes in Gaza, hundreds of thousands of people around the world have come together to march and protest in solidarity with the Palestinians and demand a ceasefire. However, I can’t help but feel disappointment with the street art community that is, for the most part, silent, a community that “supposedly” supports underserved communities and gives a voice to the voiceless.
Seasonal in Ruins by Escif
The contrast between the vocal condemnation of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine by artists who advocate for peace and justice and their relative silence on the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians is indeed striking. While many artists have used their platforms to raise their voices against one form of conflict, it raises questions about the consistency of their advocacy. The situation in Palestine demands a similar commitment to the principles of justice, human rights, and empathy for those affected by violence and oppression. It underscores the importance of a universal approach to advocating for peace and justice, ensuring that artists and activists remain consistent in their efforts to shed light on all instances of conflict and injustice, regardless of the geopolitical complexities involved.
Akut in GazaMute by Escif
The hypocrisy of street artists and curators who boast about advocating for justice solely to gain a competitive edge in their field is a troubling phenomenon. Authentic activism and advocacy should be grounded in genuine concern for social and political issues, not driven by self-serving motives. When artists exploit the struggles of marginalized communities or global injustices as mere marketing tools, it not only undermines the credibility of their work but also does a disservice to the causes they claim to support. True advocacy requires sincerity, empathy, and a commitment to creating positive change, rather than using it as a superficial gimmick for personal gain. Such hypocrisy not only damages the reputation of individual artists but can also erode the integrity of the entire street art community and its potential to drive meaningful social change.
Photo by undergroundammanBanksy in Gaza
However, it’s also crucial to acknowledge that there are street artists and activists within the community who are indeed using their talents to shed light on the situation in Gaza and amplify the voices of the oppressed.
As I write this, I fear backlash or censorship for taking a stance on such a polarizing topic. But I have to measure my fear against the misery of the Palestinians. This is the minimum. It’s scary, but it’s also the minimum. And the fact that people are trying to suppress speech is not an excuse for you not to speak.
The suppression of speech should never be an excuse for silence, and it is through collective efforts that awareness is raised, empathy is fostered, and change becomes possible. Your willingness to address these concerns is a reminder that, even in challenging times, the power of expression and advocacy can help bring about a more just and compassionate world.
As we are witnessing a genocide unfolding before our eyes in Gaza, hundreds of thousands of people around the world have come together to march and protest in solidarity with the Palestinians and demand a ceasefire. However, I can’t help but feel disappointment with the street art community that is, for the most part, silent, a community that “supposedly” supports underserved communities and gives a voice to the voiceless.
Seasonal in Ruins by Escif
The contrast between the vocal condemnation of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine by artists who advocate for peace and justice and their relative silence on the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians is indeed striking. While many artists have used their platforms to raise their voices against one form of conflict, it raises questions about the consistency of their advocacy. The situation in Palestine demands a similar commitment to the principles of justice, human rights, and empathy for those affected by violence and oppression. It underscores the importance of a universal approach to advocating for peace and justice, ensuring that artists and activists remain consistent in their efforts to shed light on all instances of conflict and injustice, regardless of the geopolitical complexities involved.
Akut in GazaMute by Escif
The hypocrisy of street artists and curators who boast about advocating for justice solely to gain a competitive edge in their field is a troubling phenomenon. Authentic activism and advocacy should be grounded in genuine concern for social and political issues, not driven by self-serving motives. When artists exploit the struggles of marginalized communities or global injustices as mere marketing tools, it not only undermines the credibility of their work but also does a disservice to the causes they claim to support. True advocacy requires sincerity, empathy, and a commitment to creating positive change, rather than using it as a superficial gimmick for personal gain. Such hypocrisy not only damages the reputation of individual artists but can also erode the integrity of the entire street art community and its potential to drive meaningful social change.
Photo by undergroundammanBanksy in Gaza
However, it’s also crucial to acknowledge that there are street artists and activists within the community who are indeed using their talents to shed light on the situation in Gaza and amplify the voices of the oppressed.
As I write this, I fear backlash or censorship for taking a stance on such a polarizing topic. But I have to measure my fear against the misery of the Palestinians. This is the minimum. It’s scary, but it’s also the minimum. And the fact that people are trying to suppress speech is not an excuse for you not to speak.
The suppression of speech should never be an excuse for silence, and it is through collective efforts that awareness is raised, empathy is fostered, and change becomes possible. Your willingness to address these concerns is a reminder that, even in challenging times, the power of expression and advocacy can help bring about a more just and compassionate world.
“Look. If you had one shot or one opportunity. Would you capture it or just let it slip?”
In 2002, Slim Shady aka Eminem’s alter-ego, violently shared his angst which moved a chord in each and every one of us, rap aficionado or not. To one Barcelonian, that song was a life changer. Overheard over the ringtone of his cousin’s mobile when he was just 11 years old, Nil Safont felt a strong connection with that music and a strong urge to question social conventions. A year later, Slim Safont captured that one shot.
He started running his first tags at the age of 12 under Slim Shady, and pretty soon he was better known as Slim. Everyone called me that, even my mother, and no matter how much I wanted to change my name, I couldn’t – I had already written it all over the place and people had seen it too much. I met Nil/Slim virtually, and prior to that, I connected with his work. Across the Mediterranean Sea that connects Barcelona to Beirut, that connects his world to mine, he opened up on his alter-ego, he opened up on Slim.
A Fine Arts graduate from the University of Barcelona, Slim shares that although the years spent there as a student between 2013 and 2017 gave him a wealth of knowledge in art history and criticism, he discovered painting beyond the walls of the educational establishment. My apprenticeship as a painter has been entirely self-taught. I come from painting in the street. My relationship with painting comes from graffiti first and muralism second, he proudly asserts. Street painting that connected him with the art of painting and that led him into the world of the classics like Sorolla, Casas or Pla Y Rubio, and not the other way around.
My first references were urban artists, graffiti artists or muralists… It is only afterwards that I dissociated myself from the street to build myself a studio and start investigating the history of painting, the masters, the techniques… Autodidactic and self-educated, Slim learned everything by doing, by experience, with a passionate and open heart to figuratively and realistically express a connection, a feeling, all in one shot, figuratively and factually, for indeed, photography is part of Slim’s method of work.
Photography has always played a crucial role in my creation [process] because it is the base from which I start a painting. Sometimes however, it can be the other way.Sometimes I imagine a painting and to create it I need a photograph. Other times I take a photograph and imagine on it a new pictorial interpretation. And sometimes I start painting a photograph and during the process, many things happen that I stop looking at the photograph and the result ends up being something totally different.
Irrespective of his creative process, Slim’s dynamic relation between photography and painting is based on his keen interest in representing reality the way he sees it, the way he captures it. He is fascinated by the human figure and relationships between people, and admits to how challenging it can be to disassociate himself from the image he wishes to communicate. A painting can speak for itself as a material, separate from the image itself, but this has been difficult for me to learn… so I always work towards applying this so I may separate myself from the image by making a clear representation, with the help of the material itself, the texture, the colors, …
A dynamic dance between photography and painting. A self-taught approach that speaks from his own heart to the heart of the viewer. I am attracted to everything that makes me feel something. I am attracted to that person, to that situation, to that urban landscape or place or scene, and for which I feel a special connection. It is that particular connection that Slim feels which translates into a mural that in return, speaks to the viewer. The connection is mutual for the emotions are simple and raw, easily understood by viewers all over the world, from Barcelona to other European cities and all the way to the United States. Beyond the beauty of the work, Slim seeks the connection, especially when it comes to street art. Painting freely in a studio is not the same as painting in a neighborhood with problems in the suburbs of the city. Sometimes I get carried away by the attractiveness of the image and I know I would enjoy painting it in a studio freely. But if I am going to do in the street, then I feel that I have a bigger responsibility as I must find something more to share and tell than just my own personal enjoyment.
More than an artist, Slim is a story-teller. A witness to our daily lives. I like to meet the people I paint. When I portray someone I know, I am saying something about that person, I find my reflection in that person, I identify with that person. A mirror to our lives. A mirror to our human behavior. I am interested in representing something that people tell me or that I see in them. A portrait of someone sometimes represents an entire community, some values or ideas shared by many people. Street art gifts Slim with that opportunity to connect with others, something he truly appreciates and values. Street art is human, immediate, realistic; it translates human communication. Canvas painting on the other hand, is something that Slim enjoys but on a different remote level. When I paint on a canvas, I like to work on images or scenes that I captured from afar. It reflects ambiguous ideas or images that can have many interpretations or readings.
Transitioning between murals and cavasses, Slim finds it hard to choose which of the two mediums he prefers to communicate his art. Although murals connect him with the community and the people he represents, canvasses allow him to be on his own with his imagination, pushing him into a world of different creative possibilities, ironically throwing him out of his comfort zone. It is ironic indeed, because while he has found his own creative method with murals making the entire process a comfortable one, physical strain in completing murals on the other hand greatly limit his creation process. Rain, noise, cranes that break down or poles that do not arrive, railings that you have to cover, cars that you may stain, temperatures that range between 0 and 40 degrees, gossip… Murals do mean a lot of wear and tear, physical and psychological pressure. Yet he quickly shrugs off the idea. It doesn’t matter. I miss it when I haven’t painted a mural in a month. I am addicted!
Much to our pleasure, I should add, for Slim remain an activist, though he would not admit it. I would say a romantic activist, as one needs to slowly dive into his paintings to understand the subtle representation, represented with soft and soothing colors. His work is neither provocative nor brutal. It is on the contrary very comforting, and perhaps the strongest messages are be better understood under softer tones. Sometimes I manage to be more evident with my messages and other times I prefer to be more poetic. But I always start with questioning social conventions.From an educational system operating from oppression to conformist roles and behaviors in our contemporary society, I try to inspire small changes in human behavior and our relationship with the power figures that influence it. It is evident that things in our world are not going well and they must change. An idealist? Yes. A dreamer? No. A realist? Yes. He neither considers himself a political activist nor a plain activist. He admits that he is just a painter and realizes that a painting is not going to change the world. Maybe. But soft and poetic messages to communicate strong messages sometimes may have a greater effect over time on the communal conscience. I try to find my own pictorial language, he shares. A language that is clearly his, defined by his own experiences and understanding of poetic justice. A language that is today understood and shared by many, as Slim has taken part in a wealth of festivals and international projects over the course of the last decade.
A language that is shifting from the streets and moving into art galleries. While it may be a generational trend, it is however undeniable that the street or urban art movement has considerably grown in the past years, and galleries have expressed plenty of interest. This has opened a new market for urban artists like Slim, allowing them to produce work that can be exhibited and sold. And while Slim’s entrance to the world of galleries has been relatively shy so far, he plans on giving the prospect of showcasing his work in confined spaces more of his time in the near future.
In his murals, I couldn’t help but notice that most of the people do not face the viewer. As a matter of fact, Slim seems to always paint them in action or from behind. Technically, he explains, it is difficult for the eyes to remain in perfect symmetry in large murals. He continues however to explain that the action is of more importance than the face. When a gaze captures our attention, we stop seeing everything else, we stop seeing the action of the characters or what is happening there.
I looked back at his murals and understood what he meant. Slow action in soft colors. Slow movements to describe a strong message. Small steps in the direction of an intended change in human behavior. Small changes over the course of time. Subtle. An artistic urban language defined by Slim.
“Look. If you had one shot or one opportunity. Would you capture it or just let it slip?”
In 2002, Slim Shady aka Eminem’s alter-ego, violently shared his angst which moved a chord in each and every one of us, rap aficionado or not. To one Barcelonian, that song was a life changer. Overheard over the ringtone of his cousin’s mobile when he was just 11 years old, Nil Safont felt a strong connection with that music and a strong urge to question social conventions. A year later, Slim Safont captured that one shot.
He started running his first tags at the age of 12 under Slim Shady, and pretty soon he was better known as Slim. Everyone called me that, even my mother, and no matter how much I wanted to change my name, I couldn’t – I had already written it all over the place and people had seen it too much. I met Nil/Slim virtually, and prior to that, I connected with his work. Across the Mediterranean Sea that connects Barcelona to Beirut, that connects his world to mine, he opened up on his alter-ego, he opened up on Slim.
A Fine Arts graduate from the University of Barcelona, Slim shares that although the years spent there as a student between 2013 and 2017 gave him a wealth of knowledge in art history and criticism, he discovered painting beyond the walls of the educational establishment. My apprenticeship as a painter has been entirely self-taught. I come from painting in the street. My relationship with painting comes from graffiti first and muralism second, he proudly asserts. Street painting that connected him with the art of painting and that led him into the world of the classics like Sorolla, Casas or Pla Y Rubio, and not the other way around.
My first references were urban artists, graffiti artists or muralists… It is only afterwards that I dissociated myself from the street to build myself a studio and start investigating the history of painting, the masters, the techniques… Autodidactic and self-educated, Slim learned everything by doing, by experience, with a passionate and open heart to figuratively and realistically express a connection, a feeling, all in one shot, figuratively and factually, for indeed, photography is part of Slim’s method of work.
Photography has always played a crucial role in my creation [process] because it is the base from which I start a painting. Sometimes however, it can be the other way.Sometimes I imagine a painting and to create it I need a photograph. Other times I take a photograph and imagine on it a new pictorial interpretation. And sometimes I start painting a photograph and during the process, many things happen that I stop looking at the photograph and the result ends up being something totally different.
Irrespective of his creative process, Slim’s dynamic relation between photography and painting is based on his keen interest in representing reality the way he sees it, the way he captures it. He is fascinated by the human figure and relationships between people, and admits to how challenging it can be to disassociate himself from the image he wishes to communicate. A painting can speak for itself as a material, separate from the image itself, but this has been difficult for me to learn… so I always work towards applying this so I may separate myself from the image by making a clear representation, with the help of the material itself, the texture, the colors, …
A dynamic dance between photography and painting. A self-taught approach that speaks from his own heart to the heart of the viewer. I am attracted to everything that makes me feel something. I am attracted to that person, to that situation, to that urban landscape or place or scene, and for which I feel a special connection. It is that particular connection that Slim feels which translates into a mural that in return, speaks to the viewer. The connection is mutual for the emotions are simple and raw, easily understood by viewers all over the world, from Barcelona to other European cities and all the way to the United States. Beyond the beauty of the work, Slim seeks the connection, especially when it comes to street art. Painting freely in a studio is not the same as painting in a neighborhood with problems in the suburbs of the city. Sometimes I get carried away by the attractiveness of the image and I know I would enjoy painting it in a studio freely. But if I am going to do in the street, then I feel that I have a bigger responsibility as I must find something more to share and tell than just my own personal enjoyment.
More than an artist, Slim is a story-teller. A witness to our daily lives. I like to meet the people I paint. When I portray someone I know, I am saying something about that person, I find my reflection in that person, I identify with that person. A mirror to our lives. A mirror to our human behavior. I am interested in representing something that people tell me or that I see in them. A portrait of someone sometimes represents an entire community, some values or ideas shared by many people. Street art gifts Slim with that opportunity to connect with others, something he truly appreciates and values. Street art is human, immediate, realistic; it translates human communication. Canvas painting on the other hand, is something that Slim enjoys but on a different remote level. When I paint on a canvas, I like to work on images or scenes that I captured from afar. It reflects ambiguous ideas or images that can have many interpretations or readings.
Transitioning between murals and cavasses, Slim finds it hard to choose which of the two mediums he prefers to communicate his art. Although murals connect him with the community and the people he represents, canvasses allow him to be on his own with his imagination, pushing him into a world of different creative possibilities, ironically throwing him out of his comfort zone. It is ironic indeed, because while he has found his own creative method with murals making the entire process a comfortable one, physical strain in completing murals on the other hand greatly limit his creation process. Rain, noise, cranes that break down or poles that do not arrive, railings that you have to cover, cars that you may stain, temperatures that range between 0 and 40 degrees, gossip… Murals do mean a lot of wear and tear, physical and psychological pressure. Yet he quickly shrugs off the idea. It doesn’t matter. I miss it when I haven’t painted a mural in a month. I am addicted!
Much to our pleasure, I should add, for Slim remain an activist, though he would not admit it. I would say a romantic activist, as one needs to slowly dive into his paintings to understand the subtle representation, represented with soft and soothing colors. His work is neither provocative nor brutal. It is on the contrary very comforting, and perhaps the strongest messages are be better understood under softer tones. Sometimes I manage to be more evident with my messages and other times I prefer to be more poetic. But I always start with questioning social conventions.From an educational system operating from oppression to conformist roles and behaviors in our contemporary society, I try to inspire small changes in human behavior and our relationship with the power figures that influence it. It is evident that things in our world are not going well and they must change. An idealist? Yes. A dreamer? No. A realist? Yes. He neither considers himself a political activist nor a plain activist. He admits that he is just a painter and realizes that a painting is not going to change the world. Maybe. But soft and poetic messages to communicate strong messages sometimes may have a greater effect over time on the communal conscience. I try to find my own pictorial language, he shares. A language that is clearly his, defined by his own experiences and understanding of poetic justice. A language that is today understood and shared by many, as Slim has taken part in a wealth of festivals and international projects over the course of the last decade.
A language that is shifting from the streets and moving into art galleries. While it may be a generational trend, it is however undeniable that the street or urban art movement has considerably grown in the past years, and galleries have expressed plenty of interest. This has opened a new market for urban artists like Slim, allowing them to produce work that can be exhibited and sold. And while Slim’s entrance to the world of galleries has been relatively shy so far, he plans on giving the prospect of showcasing his work in confined spaces more of his time in the near future.
In his murals, I couldn’t help but notice that most of the people do not face the viewer. As a matter of fact, Slim seems to always paint them in action or from behind. Technically, he explains, it is difficult for the eyes to remain in perfect symmetry in large murals. He continues however to explain that the action is of more importance than the face. When a gaze captures our attention, we stop seeing everything else, we stop seeing the action of the characters or what is happening there.
I looked back at his murals and understood what he meant. Slow action in soft colors. Slow movements to describe a strong message. Small steps in the direction of an intended change in human behavior. Small changes over the course of time. Subtle. An artistic urban language defined by Slim.
While Hollywood has painted the U.S. as a beacon of righteousness, reality reveals a more nuanced narrative. The underdog image cultivated on the silver screen often contrasts with the United States’ historical support for regimes with questionable human rights records. Critics argue that the nation has, at times, allied with rogue governments for strategic interests, raising questions about the alignment between on-screen heroics and real-world actions.
It is essential to acknowledge that Hollywood is a business, and the entertainment industry often relies on patriotic and uplifting themes that resonate with the masses. The simplification of complex geopolitical issues in films can lead to a distorted understanding of history and international relations.
