Street Art In San Miguel: Asfii Rubnck, Teaching Young Artists Peace And Unity

By Colleen Sorenson

ASfii RUbnck is a San Miguel artist who truly loves his job at CASA A.C. Center for Adolescents in Santa Julia, where he teaches graffiti art and promotes the projects of the Ranchero Pandillero Program. This program was started in 2018 by artists from different neighborhoods with unique painting styles. The goal is to reduce the rates of violence among young people through art and hip-hop, and a focus on promoting peace between neighborhoods with respect and unity. CASA provides an art studio, offering a place to paint, graffiti workshops, and meetings to plan new art-related projects.

His own background of being in a gang while growing up gives him a credibility when working with the youth of the Ranchero Pandillero program. He was never involved in drugs or guns but did get involved in fighting with others in the street. "Though I was in a gang, it was the graffiti art that saved me from problems in the street and kept me from bad things. I changed the violence for art." He shared this with a very proud and wide smile. At age 17, he began to volunteer at CASA off and on. For the past three years, it has been his full-time job as teacher, planner and promoter of projects and events.

As a child, ASfii, along with his parents and two younger sisters, lived in Colonia San Antonio and when he was 11, the family moved to San Luis Rey. Now at age 35, he continues to live in San Luis Rey with his wife and four children. He was the only member of his family with an interest in art, beginning early with drawing. At age 9, he came across the artist Fello who was busy painting train cars with other artists. ASfii's simple question of "What are you doing?" led to being taken under the supervision of Fello, learning technical methods with aerosol paint. He came to greatly admire his teacher of the wildstyle lettering. This participation in art gave a meaning to his life.

ASfii does not have a particular style although he is very versatile. He can paint anything requested, in acrylics and aerosols. His preference of paint is aerosol and what he likes to paint the most is the lettering, in wildstyle. While many others who have painted on the street also paint on canvases to be exhibited in galleries, ASfii still has a preference for the street. Throughout San Miguel de Allende he figures the number of murals he has painted is around 70, with 40 still in public view. In San Luis Rey alone, there are 15 of his murals in public view.

We chose our favorite murals. His is a large one in San Luis Rey he painted solo named 'Dios de la Muerte'. My favorite, in Santa Julia off Ignacio Allende, is of his 9 year old daughter. "Her name is Valentina who I enjoy a lot and I am proud of painting her, she is our little ballerina."

This mural was part of a project with CASA.

We talked about his hopes of more support given to the artists. He believes "artists should get together in a group and organize to express the importance of their art and the government investing in the youth and the mural projects." He continued with also explaining "It feels bad about seeing the man with all the tours in San Luis Rey with a lot of people, even when I'm walking next to them, they don't know anything. They don't know who the artist is. I am the artist. All artists deserve respect and give them recognition for the gift they are giving to society."

The murals of Ranchero Pandillero reach into all the different neighborhoods, including centers, schools and the jail. ASfii organizes 5 murals per month, in line with the topics of CASA (health, education, and culture promoting respect for human rights with a gender perspective) Murals of animals are also included.

Every Thursday afternoon, 3:00-5:00 p.m., classes are offered for ages 6-18 to learn about graffiti art. Currently, there are 22 students, most ages 13 & 14.

Contact ASfii at 415 153 9087 rancheropadillero@casa.org.mx            

How to help with more mural saround town? You can senda donation to CASA A.C. specifying to be directed to Ranchero Pandillero. Also, offers of walls, paint, money, and food for the artists are much appreciated. And, galleries can offer opportunities for students to exhibit their work.

Colleen has long been an advocate for legal painting on the streets. She shares stories of artists who have shared their talents with us.

www.colleensorenson.com