Pedro Urrutia He is a young 27-year-old graffiti artist who recently became a trend on social networks for promoting, together with 43 artists, the painting of a 'Dragon Ball' mural, in tribute to its creator, Akira Toriyama. This work of urban art brought together Peruvian and foreign spray specialists.
The popular mural of 'Dragon Ball' It is located in the La Victoria district, in front of the National Stadium, along Paseo de la República, and since it was completed it has been visited by hundreds of followers of this anime after the departure of Akira Toriyama, which aroused nostalgia for all the adventures and battles of Goku and his friends.
YOU CAN SEE: Akira Toriyama died, latest news: what will happen to 'Dragon Ball' after the death of its creator?
—How did your passion for 'Dragon Ball' begin?
—I believe that 'Dragon Ball' has been like a general culture that all people have had since their childhood. It is impossible to see Goku's drawing and not recognize him. From a very young age, we have all grown up under those values, under their stories and their teachings.
We came up with the great idea of being able to carry out this tribute on a smaller wall that we were building in the neighborhood. We decided to make a mural that included his face and all of his characters. We looked for a space, since it was abandoned, it was suitable for carrying out this tribute.
—What was the news of Akira Toriyama's death like for you?
—I think it has been very sad for everyone, since it is a very nostalgic blow to our childhood; It makes us look in that little box in the trunk and it also comes to let you loose a little bit of its legacy. A story that is already over and will not be able to continue.
I was painting when I suddenly saw the social networks that announced his death. Yes, I got a little nostalgic.
YOU CAN SEE: What is the true meaning of 'Z' in 'Dragon Ball Z'? Akira Toriyama revealed it before he died
—What did Akira Toriyama mean to you in your life and as an artist as well? How did he influence?
—When I was a child I watched the few episodes that aired in the afternoon on national television and based on that, one also wanted to replicate what I saw on paper. I have not been from a family that has enough resources; At most I could have cutouts of 'Dragon Ball' and with that I would put together like a small comic in a notebook; With some sheets I created a new story, with cut-out drawings, I glued them together and that's how my passion for drawing was born.
—How did you decide to call on the rest of the artists to create the mural?
—When we were in the neighborhood, with the kids making a small mural of 'Dragon Bal', we found out about the death and right there we came up with the idea of paying tribute to him and we said: 'What are we going to need? Scaffolding, paint and spray. How many scaffolds? Fifteen scaffolds. How many days? Ten days. How much is everything?'. We made a 'chanchita'.
Each one put in about two, three hundred soles, it was like a box for us to be able to rent the scaffolding, leave the guarantee to the man (of the scaffolding). Then we ran to buy paint, spray and we started calling one by one (artists). I called everyone, the forty-three artists who have participated; One by one they received a call from me and they gladly accepted the invitation and we agreed on the day they could come.
—So, was it your own initiative or was some municipal authority behind it?
—No, that is my own initiative. We had to include the Municipality (of La Victoria) because it helps us with the Serenazgo, closing the street, cleaning are little things that we can count on., but that's why they give us money, they never have it and we ask them if they are never going to give, what are we going to ask them for? Better do it ourselves. Why also wait until they do it…
—What was it like for you to hear the news that your mural went viral?
—Yes, I am very happy for the result we have had, for the mural that the forty-three boys have left. There have even been people from abroad. who have participated, everyone has done their bit to build this tribute and, unintentionally, we did not know that it was going to have such a reach, unintentionally the fair happened, we held an inauguration.
Everything was like that, without planning it, and it turned out most beautifully, so a very gratifying result for all of us.
—Do you think 'Dragon Ball' has had an impact on the childhood of many Peruvians and many people around the world?
—Yes, now every time I pass by I see families, people, passing by, people coming in their cars, walking. There are people who even told me the other day: 'I came from the province to see this mural because I saw it on TikTok.' We are very grateful and we are also grateful to the people of UPC Cultural for spreading our work before everything.
—How was your start in the world of art and graffiti?
—I have grown up on the street. At the age of 6 I was already in Gamarra with some friends selling Martians. I lived near Gamarra and from the moment you are on the street you learn good things and bad things. I grew up in a neighborhood that belongs to Alianza Lima (sports team) and the kids there had spray. They put the names on the streets. As soon as I felt the contact with the spray, a very strong bond was created and I said: “I have to look deeper, what is the world of graffiti like?” and as I grew up I was given the opportunities to enter more into this world.”
I knew people who were into this. They taught me the whole story behind it, what graffiti is, what a bomb is, what a character is, a piece, a 2 D, a 3 D and that's how I have been nourished year after year.
There were seasons in which I became quite detached from art and went down bad paths, but now I have rediscovered myself and I am very grateful to be a recognized graffiti artist from La Victoria. I dedicate myself to art one hundred percent; I do all kinds of commission work. I am also in charge of generating projects; When there is nothing to paint I go out into the street and start painting because I know that something is going to have to come out.
YOU CAN SEE: This is the last anime that Akira Toriyama, creator of 'Dragon Ball', left before his death
—What would be your message to young people who are on the same path as you and who are interested in graffiti?
—I would recommend to all young people to think with a cool head about their future. You always want to be the best. In my case, everything I have gone through to be able to achieve this type of mu
rals has been very hard for me. I went out into the street and they didn't even give you permission, they threw you out (so as not to paint), Serenazgo came. It is a path that has been very strong, but now we have sort of tilled the soil to open doors to new possibilities and so that new artists can leave the district.
Even when we were doing the mural, a boy came who was 13 years old, who didn't know anything and had never painted on the wall and I kind of instructed him. He made a very nice drawing, I gave him the confidence so that he can do his work and it is reflected there, I see it reflected.
—What is your goal in the short or medium term?
—Our goal is to position La Victoria as if it were Sao Paulo or Bogotá, in the cultural field of muralism. If you go to Bogotá, you go to Sao Paulo, you go to Winwood, you go to Amsterdam and all you are going to see are murals, art everywhere. And that is the same thing that we want to replicate here, because we have La Victoria which is our home, we have grown up here. We are all from different neighborhoods in La Victoria and we think the same way. We would like to have our house like this and then start with the neighbors and go to other districts.
—How did you watch 'Dragon Ball' if you worked since you were a child?
—At home I had a television and they broadcast it on 5, then on 4. It has been a series that you couldn't watch in one go because sometimes the chapters skipped, but there was something left for you.
