Tinho
Identity: Walter Nomura, aka Tinho
Date of birth: 1973
Nationality: Brazilian
Education: Graduate of FAAP
WE LOVE IT FOR
- His pictorial poetry, between resistance and resilience.
- Its narrative symbolism is both bold and sensitive.
- Its spectacular use of distinctive colors.
Art is my life, an instrument of quest as much as a space for dispersion, the means that connects me to the world and to existence.
Tinho
A pioneer of graffiti in Brazil and a member of the emblematic Pixação movement from the age of 13, Tinho naturally moved into graffiti in 1986, always accompanied by his skateboard as he roamed and explored the streets of Sao Paulo. After graduating in Art Education from FAAP in 1997, his work took on a notable artistic dimension, creating a junction between street art and contemporary art. Feeling the need to understand his Japanese roots and history, he stayed on as a dekasegi in Japan from 2001 to 2004 - a search for his own identity that is reflected in the profound sensitivity that characterizes his work. On his return to Brazil, Walter Nomura renewed his ties with Tinho and further developed his field of action, collaborating with skateboard brands, exhibiting in São Paulo's leading art galleries and traveling to paint the walls of cities around the world. Invited to contribute to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, sponsored by Nike, his artistic touch is also present in major cities including Buenos Aires, Santiago, London, Lima, Frankfurt and Paris.
Versatile, Tinho works with painting, installation, sculpture, collage and performance, without ever disconnecting from his universe. Through his work, he explores the complex relationship between humans and the metropolis, which he depicts with poetry and melancholy through a range of profound emotions: loneliness, sadness, confusion, violence, social distortion and violence. " His work, consistent with his own history, brings together the simplicity of popular expression and the singular complexity of a broad poetic approach," points out Xico Chaves, a Brazilian researcher, teacher and journalist. In 2012, Tinho was awarded a prestigious 2ᵉ place at the PIPA prize, legitimizing his quest to introduce Street Art into the contemporary art scene. A quest he has never stopped digging ever since.
