Brazilian artist Daniel Melim discusses his exhibition "Urban Reflections" at São Bernardo do Campo in an interview with Brendon Bell-Roberts. Melim, who emerged from the graffiti and stencil cultures of ABC Paulista, describes how the city functions as an active collaborator in his practice, transforming the gallery into an expanded studio where boundaries between street, studio, and institution dissolve. The exhibition juxtaposes pivotal and previously unseen works, tracing his artistic evolution and layered urban memory.
This conversation matters because it highlights the ongoing dialogue between street art and institutional spaces, exploring how urban imagery and collective creation challenge traditional notions of authorship and visibility. Melim's reflections on the politics of urban representation and the symbolic disputes embedded in public walls offer insight into contemporary art's engagement with social and spatial dynamics, particularly relevant for discussions around participatory practice and the role of the city as a living material in art.