FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Entertainment

Meet the Artist Taking Surreal Dream Scenes to the Streets

Spanish artist Cinta Vidal talks about her transition from paper drawings to street-side murals.
Mural by Cinta Vidal, Uriginal, and Enric Sants

Last month we caught up with Cinta Vidal as she began painting her mural for POW! WOW! Long Beach and gathered together a collection of her gravity-defying acrylic paintings for your viewing pleasure. The event marked her recent transition into street art, and we wanted to learn more about this new side of her work. The Creators Project reached out to the Spanish artist to talk about her background and how it has influenced her outdoor mural work.

Advertisement

The Creators Project: Where in Spain are you from?

Cinta Vidal: I lived in Barcelona until I was 10, then I moved with my family to Cardedeu (a village about 20 miles from Barcelona). I still live in Cardedeu but I do many things in Barcelona. I am always coming and going.

How's the scene there?

In Cardedeu there is a lot of cultural activity, but it is in Barcelona where a really huge art movement can be found. I know many painters there and it is a good place to get to know new proposals and art spaces.

Mural by Cinta Vidal and Uriginal

How long have you been an artist?

I still don’t consider myself as a so-called “artist.” But I know that I have been drawing and painting since I can remember. I think that everybody goes through a creative period during childhood. Some stop and some don’t. I never stopped.

When did you start painting murals?

In the scenography workshop where I work (Taller de Escenografia Castells Planas). I started working there as an apprentice when I was 16. I familiarized myself with large-scale painting while painting backdrops and murals for theatre. But it haven’t been painting my own murals on the street for very long.

Who is the Estaquirots Crew?

My friend Uriginal and I. One day he saw a small interior mural that I had painted and told me, “You need to paint on the street!” He’s been painting on the street for years. I started thanks to him. We’ve been painting together for half a year and we enjoy ourselves a lot.

Advertisement

Mural by Cinta Vidal and Uriginal

Are you directly inspired by MC Escher?

Many people compare me with MC Escher. This is an honor, because I really admire his artwork. He was a great mathematician, a magnificent creator of optical effects and surprising images. I started playing with gravity in order to talk about human relations, but I did not take Escher’s work into account. Although I also play with gravity, I think I do it in a different way, maybe a less technical but more poetic one.

Do you have an interest in architecture?

Yes, it has always fascinated me. I think it is a very complete art where drawing, sculpture, functionality and other areas are mixed. I never studied architecture because I think its technical part would bore me, but I still admire architects’ work. Above all I like this “intrinsic culture” that you can find in any building.

Do you use spray paint for murals?

No. I use paintbrushes. This is how I learned to paint and how I feel most comfortable.

Mural by Cinta Vidal and Uriginal

Do you see murals playing a growing role in your work in the future?

Yes. I like them a lot, and I look forward to experimenting more and trying to increase scale. I am also opening up to new collaborations. It is very enriching to paint on the street with other painters. And pretty addictive too.

What's the process like when painting these collaborative works?

We take turns to decide the topic. The day before we prepare the sketch and we finish the piece in one day. We try to make every mural different. We must combine our own styles so that the final result is coherent and also interesting.

Advertisement

See more of Cinta Vidal's work on her website, here.

Related:

The Gravity-Defying Architectural Paintings of Cinta Vidal

Urban Geodes Crystallize a Global Street Art Movement

Get Sucked Into Psychedelic Street Art Holes