Meet Fred Freire | Visual Artist & Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fred Freire and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fred, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I never saw me working to another purpose than creating. From images to concept, I love to imagine things and see this ideas gain shape.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is in constant change. First, as a teenager, I got to know pichação, a Brazilian way of tagging. This culture brought me the essence of the street to manifest my self. Shortly after, I got to know hiphop culture and became one of the first graffiti artists in my hometown.

Graffiti worked in my life for 10 years and unfortunately it stopped when I became a father. 7 years have passed and I decide to start graffiti again, but this time with a different perspective. Relating it to art, mural, architecture and design. I developed a new approach to use the graffiti technique, seeking an authorial style and commercial opportunities for this new phase.

Today I mix my mural experience with VJing, computer graphics and design in my daily work. The perception of creativity is part of me and I always think that my professional career is a constant invention of myself. Sometimes that’s painful, but it’s part of the game I love called Life.

One thing I learned this way was the need to change, adapt, reinvent and look to the future as a story that is born here, now.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I actually live in a city called Curitiba, a capital in the south of Brazil. It is a city of 3.5 million inhabitants. Here we have one of the best HDI in Brazil, but without many natural attractions. Despite the city offering good restaurants, cheap and good street food, beer culture with many local beers and a nightlife with good options.

Here I highlight the city parks such as Barigui Park and Tingui Park. 2 good places to cycle, walk and sit for sunbathing. MON, Museu Oscar Niemeyer, is a great place for contemporary art with local and international artists.

At night, Rua Trajano Reis, the São Francisco neighborhood and the Batel area are places to visit nightclubs, drink bar or just have a beer on the sidewalk. Tangie club, Camaleão Cultural, Yada Yada Yada bar, Kirin Tatoo Bar and Vibe club are some places I recommend visiting.

Curitiba has a cosmopolitan atmosphere with less danger than other Brazilian capitals.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Well, I think everyone who has passed through my life has contributed to my status now. Regardless, how can I be now. Some bad experience can become good knowledge or an initial step towards a journey of achievements.

In order of good to difficult things, I would like to mention my relatives for providing my education and the environment to develop my basic skills. My friends who bring me information and influences and everyone who once told me or taught me how to face life. Some skills are really hard to learn.

Website: fredfreire.co

Instagram: @fredfreire_

Twitter: @akakrop

Image Credits
FredFreire