Fileteado Porteño, graphics from Argentina

February 16, 2011 8:37 AM

Fileteado Porteño: whimsical, colorful, vernacular decorative graphics from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It came from horse carriage decorations. Then it spread to city buses. These days, it can appear anywhere: shop and street signs, house facades, guitars, Nike Dunks, Coke bottles, Macbooks, toy art.

Fileteado history. Magazine Articles. Workshop. The english wikipedia article sucks, but the spanish version is awesome. Translated. Flickr slideshow.

Some artists: Alfredo Genovese, Gervasi, Sergio Menasche, Mandynga, Martiniano Arce.

posted by Tom-B (4 comments total)

La Boca is the area of the city that it is easiest to see this style of art. It's also one of the most touristy areas and least interesting parts of this great city. But it's great if you need a cheap knock off football jersey to take home to the kids.
posted by Keith Talent at 8:45 AM on February 16, 2011

It's very rarely the case anymore these days (what with marketing, brands, and modern management), but I loved checking the transport trucks on the roads when I was a kid on vacation, they always had one or more fileteados with amusing (and sometimes cleverly filthy) mottos.
posted by Iosephus at 9:46 AM on February 16, 2011

These are really nice. Great post, thanks!
posted by MexicanYenta at 11:50 AM on February 16, 2011

I've lived in Buenos Aires for about 2 years on and off. I recently started a walking and colectivo (public bus) tour of Buenos Aires - one of the highlights is the Abasto area which is well known for being the home of Carlos Gardel the most famous Tango singer of all time. The block that contains his house (which is now a museum) was chosen in 2004 to be decorated in Filete to commemorate Filete being declared Heritage of the City. The photos in the House and Facades links are next to and opposite (respectively) the Museum, and I show them to people every day.

Whilst Keith Talent is correct that there are lots of examples in La Boca, I find Caminito to be a fairly unpleasant, untypical tourist trap. If you come here and want to see real Filete, Abasto is very accessible and a great place to start. Obviously, if you are planning a visit, drop me a memail as well!
posted by jontyjago at 12:33 PM on February 16, 2011