Guaté Mao is a French street artist who has made a name for himself in the art world with his powerful and evocative portraits. His work is characterized by a unique use of the stencil technique, which allows him to create detailed and expressive images using just a few stencils.

Mao discovered street art in Montpellier, a city in southern France, and it was there that he fell in love with the medium and began to develop his own style. He later moved to Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, where he now runs workshops in colleges and high schools, passing on his knowledge and passion for street art to the next generation.

One of the defining features of Mao's work is the use of photographs he takes during his travels as inspiration for his portraits. These photographs serve as a starting point for him to create highly emotive and realistic images that capture the essence of the people he encounters. His message is clear: he wants to surprise viewers with the emotions and expressions of faces from other cultures, creating a sense of intrusion into our daily lives.

The tender and often sad look of his characters is a powerful reminder of the humanity that connects us all, regardless of where we come from or what our circumstances may be. Mao's art is a reflection of the human experience, and it has the power to transcend borders and bring people together.

Despite his growing fame, Mao remains elusive and keeps his identity private. This only adds to the mystique of his work and makes it all the more exciting to come across one of his portraits in the streets of Saint-Denis or the district of l’Ecusson in Montpellier. For those who appreciate street art, Guaté Mao is definitely an artist to keep an eye out for, and his work is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who sees it.

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Photographize granted permission to feature photos by Guate Mao

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