As part of the Street Designers collective, Walter – also known as Berns – has been developing a instantly recognisable artistic style for several years. Originally from Peru, the artist draws as much inspiration from the codes of street art as from a visual imagination shaped by his multicultural influences and their journey across several continents.
His works, often populated by hybrid animals or quirky characters, blend figurative art, Typography and coloured compositions in a style that is as technical as it is instinctive.
@Berns – Photo by ©Berns
An artistic journey enriched by multiple cultures
It was in Lima in the 1990s that Walter Berns discovered graffiti. At that time, the Peruvian urban scene is still under construction and the walls are a canvas for graphic experimentation as much as a space of freedom.
Like many graffiti artists, the artist started with lettering, which taught them rhythm, composition, and spatial awareness. During their Trip to New Zealand, his typographic style asserts itself and his colour palette gradually becomes more complex.
Based in France since the early 2000s, Berns continues to evolve his universe through collaborations, Monumental frescoes and artistic projects carried out in very different contexts.
What is striking about his work is his ability to bring together several influences, without ever losing coherence. In his works, one finds something of very organic textures that are almost alive and a very particular way of working with volumes and colours.
@Berns – Photo by ©Berns
A figurative style nourished by contrasts and symbols
At Berns, the animal figures occupy a central place. Fish, birds, hybrid creatures or almost mystical figures: his compositions often seem to belong to a parallel universe, between Peruvian folklore, dreams and urban fresco.
The artist likes to play with dualities, combining warm and cool colours, details and flat areas, soft curves and graphic tension. A way of reminding us that an image can contain several levels of reading 🤫
@Berns – Photo by ©Berns
With their electric blues, intense reds, or almost fluorescent gradients, his Vibrant coloured palettes give his frescoes an immediate presence in the urban space.
His achievements also include a Urban energy inherited from graffiti the outlines are sharp, the compositions are designed to be visible from a distance, without ever departing from the story the artist seeks to tell.
@Berns – Photo by ©Berns
When a mural becomes a visual landmark
At Street Designers, Berns is regularly involved in the design of Wall murals tailor-made, for both businesses and local authorities or Artistic projects large-scale.
In advance of the achievements, he also participates in the creating mock-ups and during brainstorming sessions with creative teams, an essential step in building a coherent mural.
Even before the first bomb is dropped, you need to understand a space, its volumes, its light, and how passers-by will interact with the artwork. At Berns, this observation phase is fully integrated into the creative work.
His approach to muralism rests heavily on the notion of dialogue with the site. A fresco is never conceived as an isolated image, but as an element capable of to transform the perception of an environment.
This approach is particularly evident in the anti-building projects developed by Street Designers: interventions designed to break with architectural monotony, create strong visual landmarks and give an identity back to certain urban spaces.
@Berns – Photo by © Andrea Berlese
An artist coach who shares the energy of graffiti
Beyond the walls, Berns is also among the artists who accompany the creative workshops and team building which we offer at Street Designers.
Fluent in Spanish and English, he regularly works with international groups during collaborative sessions on graffiti and street art. His objective: to convey a way of looking, to compose and create collectively, borrowing from the codes of graffiti.
Optimising colour schemes, working at scale and To construct a collective mural The ability to communicate with space are all skills that participants discover, through an accessible, demanding and rich approach.
@Berns – Photo by ©Berns
Because his practice was built in the field, Berns retains a very concrete approach to creation. Today, his work continues to evolve. between street art, figurative art and contemporary muralism, while keeping this very instinctive energy inherited from graffiti.
Find the profile of Walter Berns including artists from the Street Designers collective.
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Article written by Ludovic and Maëva from the Street Designers team, which specialises in murals, urban lettering and live painting for businesses, shops and local authorities.
