Okuda San Miguel’s unofficial goal with his artwork is to color the world in all the colors of the rainbow. Known for his distinctive style of colorful geometric patterns, the Spanish painter and sculptor has been inspired, and very much shaped, by the tradition of graffiti and street art.
With a massive following both online and offline, San Miguel has gained attention thanks to his colorful murals, which can be seen on buildings and objects across the world in countries like India, Japan, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Morocco, and Spain.
“I came from painting in the streets with spray-paint and to this day it’s what I feel most comfortable with, so murals were just a natural progression,” he explained in an interview with UDesign. “It’s a quick way to make a big difference to the space around you.”
According to San Miguel, through his work, he hopes to contribute to making incremental improvements to our society. The importance of his work is to change the world around him, from transforming the grey concrete into something full of life to adding color to people’s lives.
“Art must be present in public spaces constantly and my mission is to transform these spaces in a way that passing through them is an enjoyable experience,” he writes on his website. “I aim at converting the monochromatic concrete structures and buildings into vibrant places that are filled with color and positivity, helping and hoping to change the lives of people. I want people to stop looking at the pavement and start looking up and around.”
In the process of making an artwork for a public space, San Miguel considers the surroundings first. “I love to play with and integrate the architecture on which I work with my own creation,” he writes on his website.
Aside from graffiti, other sources of inspiration include music, fashion, cinema, and the city itself. The end result, often categorized as Pop Surrealism, is a well-shaken cocktail of all these elements.
