Double creativity is what distinguishes Un Kolor Distinto (a different color). The duo consists of “Jekse” Sammy Espinoza and “Cines” Cinthia Aguilera, two Chilean street artists that have combined their styles to create something fantastic and visionary. Un Kolor Distinto is first of all a love story: love for art and love between two people who share the same passion. Thanks to the latter, they have created their perfect family.
Un Kolor Distinto Vision
Their works speak of love, are inspired by human or animal feces, and often tell us about complementary individuals who touch their lips. Despite being separated, they form a single subject, as if the two possessed only a soul. The tones that they use are pastel, avoiding anything too dark or aggressive.
Un Kolor Distinto dominates over the walls of Valparaiso. In fact, they recently participated in a project called “Solstices and Equinoxes” which financed the construction of four large murals that reach about 50 meters high, as representations of the seasons of the year. During my visit, I managed to see only two of them: “Spring Equinox” which is located near the central square, and “Winter Solstice” which is located in Calle Molina 531.
Q&A Interview with Un Kolor Distinto
When did you start painting on the street and where?
We started painting in the streets of Santiago de Chile, precisely in La Florida, when we were kids during the years 1999 and 2000.
Who are you influenced by?
When you have spent so many years painting, your influences are always changing and growing. In the beginning, it was the Hip Hop culture; today we are influenced by the current contingency, our daily lives, etc. The inspiration is every “at the moment.”
How did you meet? When did you decide to work together to become Un Kolor Distinto?
We met at school in 2001. Painting together was something that happened over time, and then we began to take it more seriously.
What is revealed behind the meanings of Un Kolor Distinto? And what else should we know about your life?
Un Kolor Distinto is symbiosis, union, love, duality, contrast, passion, and those magical moments that life gives us and then we bring them to the canvas. We are married and we have a beautiful 2-year-old son.
What is the meaning behind your murals? Why are the subjects different, but complementary?
The meanings can be many, depending on each mural or work, but we believe that the meanings are in every person’s sensation when he/she looks at our artworks. Our story started when we were very young. We played to unite our styles, but over time we realized that the union became more powerful and stronger. The message became clearer.
The love between two souls is almost always the theme of your works. Do you think that society still respects this value?
We believe that love is always the most important connector among people. It doesn’t matter the gender or if you have a partner. What really matters is the presence of love in different aspects: in our society, family, and friends. We believe that even more than respect, love is something that we cannot avoid because it is in our nature.
What styles/techniques inspire you?
Our style is free and classic but also influenced by actual trends. This has led us to leave the work on street art and the giant murals for a moment, to renew our workshop techniques and inspirations.
How do you think the street art of Valparaiso differs from that of other cities?
We believe that it mainly differs in its geography and space. Valparaíso is a unique city in the world, protected by Unesco. To this, we must add the colorful and makeshift streets, which allow the artists and the viewers to give free rein to the imagination.
Your giant murals have fascinated me both in terms of size and beauty. How long does it take to create a 50-meter mural?
The truth is that these works are planned and organized in advance. We work in conjunction with institutions, as well as the local territory and community. It took us one month to paint the building due to expensive material costs and the physical and mental fatigue that takes its toll on you with this kind of work.
Have you ever participated in any Street Art Festivals? Where?
Yes, we have participated in different festivals: at Blackpool in England we were invited to be part of Sand Sea Spray, and in the United States we were part of Art Basel in Miami, Florida.
What are your plans for the future?
Our plans are to be able to arrive with our work in many places around the world. We want to travel a lot, position ourselves in the world of art with our canvas, and most of all, just keep painting.
