How Street Art Allies Fuel The Street Art Scene

Long before street art was a thing and graffiti was the movement, the interest of photographers in the work that writers or artists were doing was the catalyst for sharing the work, getting seen and ultimately elevating graffiti and street art into the movement that it is today.

Without photographers, graffiti would have remained out of sight. It was the hunters — nod to the legendary Martha Cooper and others like her — who took an interest, shared that interest and made the world start to pay attention to urban arts.

Today it’s no different. Sure, street artists have social media and can do a lot of self-promotion, but having work shared by hunters gets it out further. Out to audiences that one artist alone doesn’t have access to. Multiply that by a few hunters, and street artists have a team of allies out there promoting their work, giving them an indication of what the public likes, and, importantly, encouraging them to do more.

Whether you’re a street artist, photographer, or a fan, it’s worth remembering that encouragement goes a long way in giving artists the fuel to power on. In this space, where so many do their work with the money in their own pocket, the support of an individual, or online community, can be the driver to keep going.

This is true for many artists, and particularly true in the case of Colombian artist, Pablo el Tigre, who came to Melbourne to learn English and was fueled and energised because of the support he received from hunters and street art photographers.

You can listen to Pablo talk about this whole Australia experience here, or you can read on for his feelings about just how powerful it is to have street art photographers at your back.

Everything was because of the street art hunters. Everything is because of them. They are working as an agent, kind of. I’m shaking when I’m trying to say that because I truly love them. They supported me a lot. I felt like “Wow” that’s the part I was looking for. After that, everything just got better.

I want to say to them “I love you guys, I’m so so grateful. I was talking to my mum about you guys. Thank you so so much!”

I didn’t make so many graffiti friends, I met a few guys, but I made so many photographer friends. It’s amazing. In Colombia, there are these street art photographers as well, but it’s not the same. Sometimes they’re just taking your photo and putting it on their profiles but those guys in Melbourne, they drive there, they try to meet artists, and they support us. I just thought I have to keep going because of them, I felt like somebody was supporting me, and it felt so good.

Graffiti is something amazing. It’s something that pulled me up in my life. I really came from a dangerous neighbourhood in Bogota, but everything is improving because of graffiti; the people I know, the English I know. Everything I got is because of graffiti.

Graffiti is important for the street artists, the people painting, but please guys, take care of the photographers. Those people who are supporting you, buying stuff… We are nothing without those people. Graffiti is important but let’s leave the ego far away from us. Graffiti is the thing you have to share with the people. If you’re painting walls, try to be kind.

I remember when I was painting Fatima, I was alone and a lady came to me, she was riding a bike. And she said, “Hey, Pablo el Tigre!” She would have been in her 50s or something, and she said something amazing, she said she loves graffiti because it’s her reason to go outside of her house. She just rides her bike around looking for street art. So I’m painting, and sometimes I am trying to get attention from DVATE, but you never know how much your stuff is changing lives, or the streets or everything. So everyone, be kind. And if you’re in Melbourne at the moment, you’ve got so many good agents (in the street art photographers). I love you guys. I love you, I love you, I love you!

If I’m thinking about Australia, I’m not thinking about my English class, I’m not thinking about the food, I’m not thinking about Kangaroos, I’m thinking about the photographers and hunters.

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