page_title: Blu (artist)
section_title: Germany
hierarchical_section_title: Blu (artist) / Places / Europe / Germany
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Berlin-Kreuzberg, Blue, Wandmalerei (Mural), Cuvrystrasse 50
context_page_description: Blu is the pseudonym of an Italian artist who conceals his real identity. He was born in Senigallia. He lives in Bologna and has been active in street art since 1999.
  His early career involved the practice of shared artistic actions. Artists such as Dem, Sweza, Run and, above all, Ericailcane, were his companions during nocturnal raids where an anonymous creative participation overcame the need of signing their pieces. Also, during those years, Blu started experimenting with digital animation, and he created short interactive video clips that were used as a visual contribution to the live musical performances of the collective OK NO.
  The collaboration with Ericailcane had its best results from 2003 to 2006. The two personalities complemented each other; while Blu was painting his characteristic human figures Ericailcane made his typical animals. The two artists, friends in real life, continue to work together, although less often.
  Starting in 2004, some art galleries noticed Blu's artistic value and invited him to take part in both one-man and collective shows.
context_section_description: Blu worked in Germany on many occasions between 2006 and 2009, mostly in Berlin, and always around Cuvrystraße in a multi-ethnic neighborhood called Kreuzberg. Thanks to his participation in several of the festivals "Backjump" and "Planetprozess," he had the opportunity to create some of his works, one of which was painted in combination with gigantic photos by the French artist JR.
  In 2006, during one of these trips, Blu made his first digital animation from images painted directly on a wall, a technique that would be a recurrent theme of many of his future videos such as "Muto."
  In consultation with Blu the two murals at Cuvrystraße were covered with black paint in 2014 by a group of people as a sign of discontent with the city's urban development policies in the area.
caption: Murals in Cuvrystraße, 2007-2014.
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