El Bocho - Pictures, Art, Photography El Bocho

El Bocho


Background Information about El Bocho

Introduction

The young protagonists of El Bocho’s larger-than-life murals gaze out across the city, their expressions hard to read. Who are they? Where do they come from? What stories do they have to tell?
The enigmatic Berlin-based muralist and artist El Bocho is a prominent figure in the contemporary street art scene. His “paste-ups” – large-format artworks printed on paper and glued directly onto street corners and buildings – can be found in cities across the world, immediately recognizable by their signature combination of typography and imagery. The stylized and brightly-colored portraits recall Japanese manga art, whilst simultaneously reflecting their urban surroundings to create a thrillingly cosmopolitan mixture.

In his Citizen series, El Bocho depicts a range of young people from across the world, their direct gaze inviting passersby to stop and think. His street artworks differ from graffiti in the way they incorporate elements of their surroundings within the art itself, creating an almost living dialog with the urban environment. The fleeting nature of the medium means each of his paste-ups is a temporary installation, eventually succumbing to weather, rain or other artists. Despite international acclaim, El Bocho still conducts his work in secret.


El Bocho was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1978. A generation X-er, the former graphic designer remains deeply involved with youth culture. He continues to honor his street art roots, working in anonymity and displaying his portraits in cities across the world. Ultimately, he sees himself as an observer of everyday life - the public response to his Citizen murals inform and inspire his other works, creating a never-ending dialog of action and reaction between artist and viewer.

Awards

2006Society for News Design (NYC): 1st place – World’s Best-Designed Newspaper (with the FAZ-Sonntagszeitung)
2007Society for News Design (NYC): 1st place – World’s Best-Designed Newspaper (with the FAZ-Sonntagszeitung)
2008Award of Excellence (News Design/Page) Society for News Design – New York
2009Gold Medal at Montreux 2010 – for CNN „Go Beyond Borders“ together with „Heimat“Agency
2010

Art Directors Club (Bronze) – for CNN „Go Beyond Borders“ together with „Heimat“Agency

Megaphone Award – for CNN „Go Beyond Borders“ together with „Heimat“Agency

2011Society for News Design (NYC): 1st place – World’s Best-Designed Newspaper (with the FAZ-Sonntagszeitung)
2012Lead Award GOLD “Best Newspaper” (Illustrations for FAZ-Sonntagszeitung)
2013GOLD – „Kodak Gregor-calendar-award“
2016Society for News Design (NYC): 1st place – „International Newspaper of the Year.“ (Illustrations for FAZ-Sonntagszeitung)

Exhibitions

20212.Big Mural-painting at Checkpoint Charly
2019Big Mural-painting at Checkpoint Charly
2018Tokyo – 104 Gallery
2017Raab Galerie – 10 Years „Goldene Zeiten“
2016

Tokyo 

Kenia – Nairobi / Mural painting

2015

Ostrale Dresden

2014

Rosenheim / Museum – Städtische Galerie

München / Galerie Neuheisel

Galerie Neuheisel – Saarbrücken 

2013Raab Gallery Berlin 
2012

Kunstverein Ludwigsburg

2006-2011

Raab Galerie Berlin  

Paris – Galerie Ligne 13

Berlin – Raab Galerie

London – Brick Lane Gallery

Sao Paulo – Red Bull “HOUSE OF ART”

Neurotitan Berlin

Cologne / Artyfarty Galerie

Urban Affairs / Tapeart-world-record (1100m²) / Berlin

Raab Galerie / Berlin 

Hamburg / Mono Concept

Art Karlsruhe / Karlsruhe

Stattbad Berlin – No more sugar for the monkey / Berlin

Berlin – Sticker Museum

Raab Galerie / Berlin

Berlin – Found Gallery / Los Angeles

Berlin – Urban Affairs

Napoli – Bazar-one

Berlin – Gallerie Tristesse – Streetart goes Fineart

2017"TheHaus“- Groupshow Berlin
2016Amsterdam / GO Gallery
2013Urban Art Völklingen – ( Jef Aérosol | Cope2 | Dondi | El Bocho | Shepard Fairey | Invader |

Mick La Rock | Phase2 | Reso | Seen …)

2012Raab Galerie – group exhibition (with Salome, Lüpertz, Fetting, Dreyer…)
2011Museum Permm – Russia 
2011Raab Galerie – group exhibition (with Lüpertz, Fetting, Hödicke, Lagerfeld…)