Fleeting Heritage: Abraham Osorio, a Salvadorean Street Artist In London
‘El Historiante’ (The Historian), Penge
If you’ve been to one of my walks in south west London, you will be much aware of my passion for local heritage. Personally I’d like to define local heritage as the collection of historical knowledge and events, people and society, institutions, natural landmarks, art and anything else which contributes to the character of these places. Historical events, anecdotes and stories are always at the core of my walks, but when possible I cover contemporary issues and topics.
Having a keen eye for art, I’m always keen in talking about art on the street and street art. When it comes to street art in particular, I personally think, this is one of the most exciting artistic cultural movements of recent times and despite its ephemeral nature, it can add further strands to a locality’s rich heritage tapestry.
As a cosmopolitan capital, London is an attractive destination for some of the world’s most famous street artists and a wander through Shoreditch, Camden Town and Brixton, will reveal works by Banksy, Invader, Jimmy C and other notables. Perhaps less known is that many of the leading and emerging artists are leaving their mark in the quiet suburban district of Penge, in the Borough of Bromley*.
Last month I was both surprised and excited to learn about Abraham Osorio, a fellow Salvadorean compatriot (my mother is from El Salvador), who has recently moved to London and has executed some fantastic murals in Penge (and north London), which he showed me over the weekend, whilst we discussed his techniques, inspirations and vision.
Abraham’s oeuvre is very much dedicated to depicting people. The very first work he completed in Penge is El Historiante (The Historian), which portrays a dancer whom he captured in Panchimalco, El Salvador**. The character’s black and white smiling face is contrasted by the colourful red wool hat he is wearing. Above this is a tin crown surmounted by a Christian cross. His orange tunic resembles a clerical vestment and the pink halo which surrounds his head gives the figure a saintly appearance. Furthermore behind him, pink glowing orchids contribute to the surreal aspect of the portrait. The mural is located on the side wall of a house at the end of a Victorian terrace, in a cul-de-sac by the railway line. It took Abraham 3 days to complete the work using aerosol cans.
The Salvadorean diaspora in London is fairly small, and as such, has had little cultural impact in comparison to Colombian or Brazilian communities which have flourished in Elephant and Castle and Stockwell. El Salvador is a small country in Central America with a chequered history, and news of its social woes and violence, frequently overshadows the beauty of its culture and people. This gives Abraham’s work another social dimension, which albeit exotic and foreign, is able to add a bit of El Salvador to the complex heritage assortment that is cosmopolitan London, and which I am sure will be a source of pride for our fellow compatriots.
Abraham is a self-taught artists, having received no formal training in El Salvador. His travels have been a source of inspiration which is reflected in his sketchbook and his many murals, which can be found in Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Austria and Poland. As an artist, he is particularly interested in depicting people on the fringes of society, which may not have a voice of their own. Another subject he frequently tackles are children, and when depicting them he may focus either on their vulnerability and fears or voice their hopes and happiness.
A look at a few of his murals, shows a recognisable style and amongst his most conspicuous traits are the inclusion of hummingbirds and flowers within his compositions and halos idealising his characters. Yet, like any true artist, he is always experimenting and searching for new techniques and methods to achieve his ideas, never content with his lot.
On close inspection his ‘Ada Portillo’ mural, beneath Beckenham Road Tram Station, depicting a woman about to remove her glasses, shows a much looser technique, in which he flung paint at the wall and allowed it to drip. The viewer can appreciate the Impression of the work at a distance, however zooming in, the eye is drawn to multiple layers and textures which make the work so much more organic. It took him only one day to complete.
Street art is frequently unsanctioned, and illegally produced on either public or private premises, which can lead to prosecutions for criminal damage. Like many forms of art it has branched out, with muralists like Abraham seeking ‘walls’ from keen property owners, whilst graffiti artist still prefer executing their work in the dead of night, away from prying eyes. Yet, even Abraham’s legal murals are vulnerable and hard to protect. They can be easily erased and damaged by the elements, vandalism or by the continuous recycling of suitable walls by fellow artists.
Abraham is certainly not phased by the longevity of his murals. If anything ephemerality is very much at the essence of what he does. How long a work survives, can invariably be subject to the artist’s standing amongst the street artist community or simply down to how willing he or she is to retouch the work on a regular basis. I have no doubt Abraham’s work are here to stay.
To follow Abraham Osorio on Instagram click here
NOTES:
*I can’t resist throwing a bit of history in this blog. My Wandsworth followers might be surprised to learn that Penge until the 19th century, was a detached appendage to the Manor of Battersea and Wandsworth, and that the manorial estate including Penge was given by William the Conqueror to the monks of Westminster Abbey, in exchange for land in Windsor, where the new king built himself a motte and bailey castle. The small hamlet of Penge became an attractive residential location after the erection of the Crystal Palace nearby in 1854.
**The small village of Panchimalco is one of the last bastions in El Salvador, in which indigenous folklore has survived and flourished. Here, one may encounter a handful of locals who speak Nahuatl, the language of the Pipil (Mayan civilisation) which dominated the area, until the Spanish Conquista in the 16th century.
Every first Sunday of May, a popular festival known as Flower & Palm takes place in the village, in which Historiantes and other folkloric groups, perform dance-dramas dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Such festivities display elements of the country’s Catholic faith mixed with Pre-Columbian dress and traditions.
