Muelle
Encyclopedia
Muelle was a trademark signature and design by Juan Carlos Argüello, Spanish
graffiti
pioneer (circa 1966–1995).
Around 1980, during the Madrilene cultural Movida, Argüello started reproducing the logo
he had designed in walls and public spaces of Madrid
. It consisted of the word Muelle (Spanish for spring
), or an R with an enclosing circle (®
) and a line in the shape of a coiled spring ending in an arrowhead. At first he used an ink marker, and later spraypainted his signature extensively around Madrid (and to a lesser extent, in other Spanish localities). In the eighties, he improved his technique, using several colours, wider borders, and 3-D effects.
His innovative style, along with the profusion of his tags made his work popular. Many other Madrilene youths created their own tags inspired by Muelle's, often ending strokes with arrowheads. The spread of hip-hop culture in Spain
in the late 1980s introduced the new graffiti styles developed in the United States
, but variations in Muelle's work basically kept his original design. Argüello appeared in Spanish television
and newspaper
s.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
pioneer (circa 1966–1995).
Around 1980, during the Madrilene cultural Movida, Argüello started reproducing the logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
he had designed in walls and public spaces of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. It consisted of the word Muelle (Spanish for spring
Spring (device)
A spring is an elastic object used to store mechanical energy. Springs are usually made out of spring steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication...
), or an R with an enclosing circle (®
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
) and a line in the shape of a coiled spring ending in an arrowhead. At first he used an ink marker, and later spraypainted his signature extensively around Madrid (and to a lesser extent, in other Spanish localities). In the eighties, he improved his technique, using several colours, wider borders, and 3-D effects.
His innovative style, along with the profusion of his tags made his work popular. Many other Madrilene youths created their own tags inspired by Muelle's, often ending strokes with arrowheads. The spread of hip-hop culture in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in the late 1980s introduced the new graffiti styles developed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but variations in Muelle's work basically kept his original design. Argüello appeared in Spanish television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s.
External links
- Photographs at Madrid Old School Graffiti, an aficionado
' s web.