Pedro "Spear" Torres
San Juan, PR, 1977
San Juan, PR, 1977
Graffiti artist, painter and muralist. In 2000 he obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design from Atlantic College in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He has worked as an art director in local and international advertising agencies such as De la Cruz, BBDO and JWT. In graffiti, he is part of one of the pioneering collectives at the local level, El Corográfico, with whom he continues to collaborate today. Together with this group, he won the first prize in the “crew” category of Graphopoli, the first urban art biennial of the Puerto Rico Museum of Art. In 2017 he received the first place for best can design in the Mountain Dew competition. He has exhibited his work and murals both collectively and individually in Puerto Rico, the United States, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Tokyo. Through his works he seeks to communicate metaphysical and social ideas, using muralism and graffiti as healthy and accessible communication strategies for the public.
"Graffiti, digital graphics and muralism define my career. My work tends to combine themes and symbolisms related to two of my great interests: the social and the metaphysical or spiritual.
I began my exploration of art through graffiti, even though I did not know that I would dedicate myself to this permanently. In graphics, I work with the language of symbols in compositions that prioritize harmony. It has served as a tool for the communication of metaphysical and social ideas, as well as giving me the advantage that technology provides to manage creativity exponentially. Muralism, for its part, is the communication platform on a large scale and scope.
My paradoxical relationship with advertising and the traditional use of graphics has led me to work on concepts and projects that I would call counter-advertising, where I seek to use its strategies to carry out humanist propaganda instead of creating needs, selling or promoting consumerism and other unhealthy behaviors for the collective.
The symbol that represents my personal and artistic philosophy is the snake. This one, with its two geometric heads, red and blue to represent wisdom and duality, has become the logo of the “Spear Torres” brand."
Pedro “Spear” Torres, 2020
1998-2000
1996-1998
2014
2010-2013
2006-2007
2007
2001-2006
1997-1998
1996-1997
2015
2020
2019
2018
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2009
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“Con palmadas de esperanza”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 1 de marzo de 2009.
“En honor a Barreto”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, Puerto Rico), 22 de febrero de 2006, p. 77.
“Espacios llenos de arte”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, Puerto Rico), 29 de diciembre de 2014, 17 de diciembre de 2019, p. 50.
“Los Grafiteros del SSR”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Domingo 6 de mayo 2001, p. 78.
“Vena creativa en La Perla”. El Vocero (San Juan, Puerto Rico), 7 noviembre de 2011, p. 12.
"Zafacones maquillados”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, Puerto Rico), 26 de agosto 2011, pp. 68-69.
“Arte público invade el MAPR”. El Vocero, 4 de octubre de 2019. https://www.elvocero.com/escenario/arte-p-blico-invade-el-mapr/article_c...
“El graffiti del vandalismo al arte”. Telenoticias, 6 de marzo del 2015. https://www.telemundopr.com/noticias/local/el-graffiti-del-vandalismo-al...
“Entrevista sobre trayectoria Spear Torres.” Programa Radio Proyecto MAPR, WIPR 940am, 5 de febrero de 2020. Disponible en: https://es-es.facebook.com/wipr940/videos/radio-proyecto-mapr-del-museo-...
“Es algo Nolmal”. Primera Hora, 14 de enero de 2009. https://www.primerahora.com/entretenimiento/cultura-teatro/notas/es-algo...
Mora, Némesis. “Una tarde junto a los grafiteros EL CORO”. Dialogo UPR, 12 de febrero de 2014. https://dialogo.upr.edu/un-tarde-junto-a-los-grafiteros-del-coro/
Pujols, Daniela. “El arte urbano embellece las calles de Villa Francisca y la avenida Duarte”. Diario Libre, 2 de julio de 2018. https://www.diariolibre.com/revista/cultura/el-arte-urbano-embellece-las...
“Una nueva exhibición en el MAPR analiza la ciudad”. El Nuevo Día, 4 de octubre de 2019. https://www.elnuevodia.com/entretenimiento/cultura/notas/una-nueva-exhib...