Who is this strange looking man and why does he keep showing up in my work? Well, its a small glimpse into a part of hispanic culture that is deeply nostalgic for those who grew up watching the beloved Chespirito. It is also my way to bring back some of the culture that is being pushed out of East Austin.
El Chavo was a TV character played by the beloved actor, Roberto Gómez Bolaños, more commonly known as "Chespirito" in the 70s and 80s. If you grew up in Mexico, or in any other spanish speaking country then you likely grew up watching his shows El Chavo del Ocho and El Chapulin Colorado. Today you can even find El Chavo on Netflix which blows my mind. Chespirito played both characters with a sense of vulnerability, innocence and perfect comedic timing. It was the type of heartfelt performance that captivated audiences on an emotional level even though the plot lines were silly by nature.
With the inevitable gentrification of Austin's east side neighborhood, El Chavo murals are my attempt to bring back a little bit of our culture into this rapidly shifting environment. It's amazing to see how pumped someone gets when they see a part of their child hood they might have forgotten about plastered on the side of a building. Those are the type of reactions that make it all worth it. In my opinion art doesn't always have to be cool and edgy, sometimes it can simply be silly and heartfelt just like El Chavo.