John Howard

Short Biography

The pioneer of urban art in Sao Paulo BrazilThe artist John Howard is said to be the godfather of the street art movement in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is a living legend who started painting in public space more than 30.years ago. Artists like Os Gemeos see him as the most important person in what became the graffiti capital of the World: Sao Paulo. They say that his work was an important inspiration for them when they were still kids and finding their own way into the arts.. Now in his 70s, John Howard is still very active, painting on the streets of Sao Paulo. We are very pleased, and proud to say, that John will make his first appearance in Europe at the International Billboard Painting Festival, at Kunsthal Brænderigården, Viborg, Denmark.John believes that that Sao Paulo metropolitan area, which is said to now hold some twenty million persons, presented the following conditions which have made street art so popular in the city:The climate is always moderate; the architecture is ideal with many white walls; millions of young persons have no playground, park, or green space in which to play or very many organized activities in which to participate and exercise their creativity; most adults have never seen an art exposition and enjoy seeing public art for this reason (the support of the public has been fundamental for our success). Finally, Brazil is a land where “flexibility” is considered a great virtue and, when public authorities and law enforcement (personnel of which John has met many times on the city streets) realized that this art was not only agreeable to the population, but that it was projecting Sao Paulo´s name to the world as “The Graffiti Capital” they became tolerant and even appreciative of our efforts.[Source: publicpaintingsviborg.blogspot.ca/2013/05/the-pioneer-of-urban-art-in-sao-paulo.html]WEST CHESTER — During the 19 years that artist John Howard lived in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, he earned his living teaching poetry at night.The job gave him the freedom to write his own poetry and to pursue what soon became a consuming passion - creating giant portraits, words and amoebalike figures in spray paint on the city's walls and in its public spaces.Now, he lives in West Chester - which he describes as almost like a "toy town" in its quaintness and charm - and has found a way to continue his work.Since moving here two months ago to be with friends, he has created an indoor mural for the West Chester Recreation Department at Borough Hall and another in a corridor of the Chester County District Attorney's Office, near the unit that deals with child abuse. He donated his services.He has created murals for homeowners and painted an totem-like figure on a telephone pole near his home.Although his public murals are somewhat toned-down versions of the work he did in Brazil - there are no characters with bulging frontal lobes, or mythological figures - Howard hopes that by donating the works, he can inspire residents to think about public art.Public artwork, Howard explained, can be a good way to "tell people about themselves. It can stimulate the imagination."In particular, he would like to work with students in schools or in neighborhoods, creating what he calls "points of reference.""In Sao Paulo, you always had the feeling that there was no center. No history, " Howard said recently, describing a city landscape with few trees, no parks, and miles of "fortress-like walls.""There were millions of kids with no access to libraries or museums. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing."But street art introduced the idea of possibility, " he said. "The kids realized, 'Hey, I can do something. I can contribute something.' The city became theirs."Howard said that in Brazil, he was arrested "30 or 40 times" for creating unsolicited work on telephone poles and city walls.By the time he left Brazil, however, Howard's work could be found in museums, hospitals and universities. And, he said, he often was asked by the secretary of education to visit schools and show his work to young graffiteiros.During a recent interview, Howard, 57, a native of Detroit, demonstrated his technique on a back wall of his house, where he already had painted a giant angel.Pausing to shake a can of spray paint vigorously, Howard summed up his technique. "It's sort of like a minuet, " he said. "It takes moments to do, but years of practice."Howard, who has a master's degree in English and studied art at the Detroit Institute of Art, said he likes the idea of creating works that are both planned and spontaneous.Much of his work in Brazil was boldly outlined in black spray paint and then colored in with latex house paint. But here, Howard has tended to use stencils of stars, fish, ringed planets, and other shapes he cuts from flattened cereal boxes, then spray-paints in place.His supporters in West Chester include Kathy McBratneay of the Recreation Department and Peggy Dawson Schmidt, director of commerce. Schmidt said she thinks that the borough could use some murals and thought-provoking public art to make it more "pedestrian-friendly."Ordinarily, spray paint and graffiti-style artwork would not be expected to get a welcome reception from residents, borough officials or shopkeepers in this community of Federal-style brick buildings and large Victorian homes.But Howard said he does not plan to do any "midnight scribbling" or ''invasions, " a term he uses to describe the methods of illegal graffitiartists. He sees his work as a way to use public spaces differently."We forget that art began in the caverns, " he said, "It was there on the walls for everyone to see. It belonged to the community."[Source: