São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil and South America, spawns a unique form of graffiti: Pixação

Pixação, distinguished for its simple and angular lines is covering buildings high and low throughout São Paulo. Although this phenomenon is fiercely unpopular in Brazil, in Paris the director of the Cartier Foundation has called ‘Pixo writers’ to paint the façade of the prestigious Cartier building for the ongoing exhibition ‘In the Streets – Graffiti’ on view until November 29 2009.

‘In the Streets – Graffiti’ occupies the entire Cartier building and is dedicated to the history and evolution of the graffiti art movement, its various techniques and styles and how it relates to cities and shapes the urban environment.

In this video João Weiner, photographer and co-director of the documentary ‘Pixo’ - which had its debut screening at the Cartier Foundation - explains the background and culture of the extraordinary new form of expression Pixação.

Extracts from the documentary ‘Pixo’ directed by João Weiner and Robert Oliveiro can be viewed on the Cartier Foundation website