Urban Art Blog

I first saw Elizabeth Roman‘s art at Flickr, she’s a street artist based in Beaubourg, Paris but her work reminds me a great deal of Mexican revolutionary art which is a genre I truly admire. In fact I’d go further by counteracting the theories of the likes of Banksy, Blek Le Rat and others and say that the Mexicans got there first. Murals that are so culturally motivated,  modernistic in style and almost neon in colour, that if you saw one today you’d be hard pushed not to agree this art is essentially the forerunner of graffiti/street art.

Born of South American origin, she has always been fascinated and influenced by Mexican muralists and Latin American figurative art, a genre that brings a more poetic dimension to the fore compared to the bulk of street art. However the similarities between both of these and the Pop Art movement are striking nevertheless. What she does take from the street art scene is a resolute conviction to “buck the trend” and follow her own instincts in both how and what to depict and express through her art.

World citizen

Path of non-violence

Kindness Guardians

The anti-establishmentarianism and non-politically aligned activism of the street art movement enables her to “bleed the edges” of cross-cultural sensibility, examining people and mankind in general with an emotive eye with no ulterior motives other than to celebrate humanism and the inner strength of the masses. Reflecting personal, cultural, and social change she casts a narrative on her experiences as an artist with strong ties in two cultures, the vibrancy and historical suffering of the Latin American people and the fringes of Western culture, again both enthusiastic for a more humanitarian future whilst weighed down by the disappointment of slow and unmoveable political change.

An Interview With Elizabeth Roman

1) When/where were you born?
I was born in Peru. As for my age let me keep some mystery, experience has taught me that we are for most of our lives either too old or too young.

2)  Where did you study art?
I studied graphic design in a school in Peru, but I consider myself more of a self-taught artist. I’ve practised art from a very young age as my grandparents were craftsmen and I always loved to drag around their artistic creations.  I have always worked intuitively and mainly following my feelings and in a spontaneous way

3) Your work reminds me very much of Mexican revolutionary art. When/where did you first take this influence from S. America?
Yeah, I found my first references in the work of the Mexican muralist painters mainly “The big three” (Orozco, Squires and Rivera). I was very inspired by their artistic, political and social expression in history. Since I was very young I was attracted by this movement, maybe pushed for my daily life in Latin America where the political and social life was really chaotic. I found it fascinating that all artists in Latin American countries who reintegrated the figure into the discourse of contemporary art, speaks about an everyday existence given purpose through social criticism.

4) What are your political views? Would you describe yourself as a humanitarian?
I like to think that I am somebody with humanist values and I hope that I try my best not to be a harmful person in the world. As for my political views before all else I believe in a respect for all human beings and a respect for our planet and for life in general. I believe in solidarity and not in the law of the jungle that capitalism tries to impose us. I don’t agree in a system where only the strongest survive and where we leave behind the most fragile. I think that war and violence cannot produce anything positive on a long term basis. I want to believe in the possibility of a better world with justice and peace for all; I believe that all human beings have the right to be happy.

5) When did you first venture out to become a street artist?
I don’t believe that it was a conscious decision, I believe that we are inevitably pushed toward that which we want to be. I have always been immersed in an urban culture, far more so than the academic environment. In a city without money to visit museums or galleries.  I have always believed that it is in the streets that the most interesting things begin and happen, indeed it is in the street where we can find that very action and change. During my first years in France I struggled to reconcile my artistic creativity with my wishes to express myself about topics really important for me. At the beginning I found myself closer to Pop art but in time I felt that it had its limitations. In the last few years I have felt  more and more inspired and attracted to street art and to all the artists who refuse to fit in with the crowd. Something which deeply reminded me of the state of mind of Mexican muralists and their social engagement.

6) Do you seek permission for murals or not?
Currently I work on canvas because I would like to make a small collection of artworks in order to exhibit and connect with my audience.

7) How do you hope to influence society with your paintings?
Ideally I would like with my art to make some kind of impact on the world, championing justice and anti-violence but I cannot claim that my painting could really ever make such changes. I’d rather aim to raise awareness in others and help people to ask themselves questions, to open their eyes about what happens out there on the streets and raise an awareness of both the consequences of our individual and political actions and decisions and to stop thinking only about individual interests.

8) Have you or will you be exhibiting in any galleries in the near future?
At this time I have some paintings in a London Gallery, I have a project to exhibit some printed editions in Honk-Kong and I am in discussions for two other projects.

9) Are there any prints of your work available? 
Before I never thought about it but recently I have received more and more inquiries about printed editions, I am looking at how to implement this so I will keep you informed.

10) What advice do you have for those considering starting up as a street artist?
I don’t think I can give any advice in particular, I do what I do because I could not live any other way. I think that when we are really passionate about what we do we find a greater strength through those actions. So we can only go for it and give ourselves heart and soul.

Liz Roman

I’d like to personally thank Elizabeth for this fascinating interview and as she has said I’ll keep you updated if she does decide to produce a print collection. Become her fan at Facebook?