Rio’s Street Graphic Novelist: An Interview with Tito Na Rua

Rio’s Street Graphic Novelist: An Interview with Tito Na Rua

By Hrag Vartanian
Hrag Vartanian is a New York-based writer and art critic. He blogs daily at hragvartanian.com.

A singular voice in the Brazilian street art scene, Tito Na Rua (website) has been using the streets of Rio de Janeiro as a venue for his Ze Ninguem (Joe Nobody) graphic novel, known as As Aventuras de Zé Ninguém e Cão Viralata, which he describes as “comics about the street on the street.”

The simple and poetic story of Ze Ninguem, a provincial Brazillian who travels to Rio to find his beloved Ana, is illustrated in a style reminiscent of a bygone age of comic strips when storylines thrived on simplicity. Tito’s clean line and pure color pop out from Rio’s gray walls. Draw in an oversized format, Ze is easily read from far away giving it an advertising quality that is seductively attractive in the cityscape.

Accompanied by his playful pooch, Ze encounters adventure as we wanders the streets. His experience is filled with scenarios that are typical for migrants who first move to Brazil’s second city, namely poverty and culture shock.

Very popular in Rio, Tito admits to having fans of his work from from every aspect of society, including members of the sanitation department who are charged with keeping the city’s walls clean.

In addition to his street comic work, Tito is also an prolific artist and graphic designer. Recently (Feb. 2009) he published a graphic novel, Burnside. He divides his time between New York and Rio. This interview was conducted via email earlier this year.

Q: What’s your background and how did you end up in Rio?

I’m a native New Yorker of Puerto Rican decent, born and raised in the Bronx. In 2001, I moved to Rio de Janeiro to study art and get some life experience for a few months and ended up moving out there permanently. The fact that my then girlfriend, now wife, is Brazilian was a huge factor as well.

Q: How did you get into street art?

I spent a few years dabbling in all sorts of media, but comics always stood out to me because I have always been such a huge fan. After two and a half years of actively pursuing a career in comics I burned out, and was trying to find something to spark my creativity again. I remembered being invited to paint by a local graffiti writer who’d seen my comics and decided to give it a shot. I loved it instantly. It has been over two years.

Q: Tell me a little about your comic street series?

After getting a feel for the cans I just never looked back. I experimented in styles, concepts, colors. Eventually I ended up right back at my roots and looked for a way to bring comics into my street work. That’s when I created my “Street Comics” project. Comics about the street on the street.

Ze Ninguem (Joe Nobody), a poor brazilian farmer, is searching for Ana, his lost love. He wanders the streets of Rio de Janiero with his new friend, Cao Viralata (Mutt Dog). I began with Ze to try and put a face on the homeless people and strays in Rio.

Q: Someone mentioned to me that the Ze Niguem series also seemed to reference the Brazilians from elsewhere that arrived in Rio to seek employment? Is that correct?

Exactly, Ana left Ze to seek employment in Rio. I plan to get into that part of the story as soon as Ze finds Ana.

Q: How do you think people relate to your street comics? What are the usual reactions?

Children love the dog! Besides that, I get emails from people telling me how they found Ze, usually on their way to and from work and how they now look for more strips. They ask me when he’ll find Ana and when I’ll be updating my site. Overall, when people realize what I’m doing they have a positive and curious response. I also think “Ze” reminds them of an uncle or distant family member, I know that’s how I relate to him.

Q: The style of the drawings seems familiar, are you referencing anything in particular? I almost sense a hint of Tintin.

Some Tintin, Calvin & Hobbes and Os Gemeos art for brazilian flavor. I had those in mind, but mostly I was looking for the simplest way to put down the strip. You can see the style change the more efficient I get.

Q: How is street art different in Brazil that the stuff we see in the States? What are some distinctive characteristic?

I’ve only begun to really notice and look at the streets, and the artists. But I have heard some people say that Brazil, now, is like New York in the 80′s. There is good energy, and lots of events. They do all the basic Graffiti, tagging, throw-ups and letters. They have a big interest in characters, vector-like drawings, textures and design. New York still has the bombing and tagging intact. It also has all these art school project type of things always popping up.

Q: Are you connected to a community of street artists or do you go it alone?

Thankfully, because of Rio’s various events and walls I’m lucky enough to do both.

Hrag Vartanian is a New York-based writer and art critic. He blogs daily at hragvartanian.com.