Original tags by "El Muelle"

Off-topic
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A few weeks ago, I came across this tag by El Muelle, one of Madrid’s pioneer graffiti artists, who started using this signature back in the 1980s.

I initially thought it was a reproduction – which is fairly common – but after doing some research, I discovered it’s an original, restored by the city council.

IMG_6332_muelle
IMG_6332_muelle1920×1440 542 KB

There’s also this other original, which is likewise protected and was uncovered during a building renovation work.

IMG_8111_muelle
IMG_8111_muelle1920×1440 1.36 MB

I know tags aren’t typically featured on SAC, but since this is a legendary Madrid classic, I’d love to share them.

Do you mind I can upload them?

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Helo Lulo, All the people in Spain in the field of Street Art knows the artist El Muelle as a pioneer, knows his famous tags.

For me theese grafitties even old and bad preserved must be present in SAC.

I have notice of this post today. It seems increíble but is upload theese tags yesterday an one more in calle Moratin in Madrid

The biography was empty and I filled

Un saludo

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I was very happy to read by Lulo that the original Tags by Muelle are being recuperated by the City Council and restored, then I saw that Julian GD has taken the effort to upload a few of them with some extensive literature

Then I saw that SAC is going to remove them, I guess because they are ‘tags’ and they do not conform with their rules, see below

I get that these tags are not pretty or artistic, and some are badly preserved, they were not even artistic back in the day, but they had the rebellious, not conforming stance that was the seed of street art.

For all the people who grew up in the 70’s and 80’ s in Spain and particularly in Madrid, we knew that there was someone outhere not conforming with the situation, we saw el Muelle signature in the most remote places, and we smiled at it, it was comforting

Juan Carlos Argüello never reached the age of 30, he died in 1995, he was the pioneer in Spain, our local ‘Cornbread’, he is the reason why today we have Suso33, El Rey de la Ruina, or Zé Carrión, his Signatures are the Spanish Holy Grail of Street Art

So, having Muelle’s signatures being removed by SAC, because they are tags, is absolute blasphemy for the street art lovers in Spain, they are relics that deserve their tribute

I, therefore, kindly ask SAC to keep Muelle’s signatures

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Hi there,

I see your point, but we also must follow the SAC’s rules. This is the reason I ask about this two tags from “El Muelle”.

I make lot of mistakes uploading murals and graffities in my first months in SAC: vandalized, tags, in bad state, unknown artist, etc. But nowadays i try to follow their rules carefully, eventhough I still keep putting my foot in my mouth :wink:

I have a copy of a fanzine made some years ago at an exposition in the Antropologic Museum of Madrid about the history of graffities in 80’s:

“TODO EMPEZÓ EN EL OCHENTA Y CUATRO. ORÍGENES DEL GRAFFITI EN ESPAÑA”

If you want a copy, I can send it bia wetrasnfer,

Cheers.

P.S. Julian, this weekend I will go to my hometown and review your comments about the local graffities.

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Hi everybody

Muelle, for some, may have been someone transgressive, rebellious, and someone who defaced walls.

With all my respect, admiration and love to him

I’m going to say something only as a joke

There is a popular saying, almost here in Spain.

He could be a HP but was OUR HP and was the FIRST of all

The society needs people like Muelle that push the limits

We miss you Muelle.

Julián GD

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Hi everybody, especially in Spain.

Reading up on this conversation and understanding the importance of this pioneer for urban art in Spain in general, I absolutely think and believe this has a place on our platform.

If we believe that urban art has a part in cultural heritage, this is a no-brainer.

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Thank you, we appreciate it :grinning_face:

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Great feedback from our Spanish hunters.

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So glad I don’t have to start a Hung(t)er strike :wink:

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God to know, as I said he was one of the legendary graffiti artist from Madrid

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Gracias a todos

Julián GD

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ja, ja it’s the way to defend brillaint artist.

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