Italy
Biography
BLU is a world-renowned Italian street artist known for his massive, politically charged murals. Active since 1999, the Bologna-based artist uses house paint and large rollers to transform public walls into thought-provoking artworks. BLU's pieces often explore anti-globalization, environmental destruction, and social injustice, with faceless comic-like figures representing corporate and political power. He refuses to commodify his work, rarely signing pieces and sometimes even erasing them himself.
An open-source believer, BLU shares all his art online, making it accessible to everyone. He stands firmly against the elitism of the contemporary art world, offering high-impact public art instead of gallery exclusivity. His short animated film, Muto, created with painted frames on Buenos Aires walls, has over 11 million views and won multiple international awards, cementing his legacy in street art and animation. BLU's work is raw, unfiltered, and globally relevant.
From Europe to South America, BLU travels to create murals that give voice to local struggles. Whether painting for festivals, teaching in Nicaragua, or protesting banana plantations with his famous “Banana Man," BLU uses art as activism. His collaborations with Ericailcane and exhibitions via Hang-Up Gallery London extend his reach, but his mission remains the same: to challenge power, spark dialogue, and make impactful art accessible to all.
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