Downtown Orlando becomes ground zero for the graffiti artist collaboration

Under-the-radar art exhibitions come in and out of Orlando all the time, and usually leave without the talented artists getting the recognition they deserve.

The Pintura Project, however, which was showcased the weekend of April 23, was quite different.

This annual graffiti art event invites graffiti artists from around the world to do what they do best across 10,000 square feet of open warehouse space in Downtown Orlando. This event is more than just a typical art show — it's a cultural revolution.

Pintura, which means "paint" in Spanish and Portuguese, has become an annual event in Orlando since its conception in 2008 by local artist Angel Carreras. According to the Pintura Project website, the event has brought in more than 2,000 guests over the past two years.

This year, patrons watched more than 30 artists design and complete their own murals on five different warehouses on Central Boulevard.

Artists and amateurs alike lined warehouse walls with spray paint cans in hand. Locals who came to see the art firsthand took turns showing off break dance moves to the sounds of DJ Eddie B Swift.

The smell of paint hung thick in the warm Orlando air as graffiti tagged not only the walls of the warehouses, but the windows, the concrete floors, fences and even an old washing machine lying in the trash nearby.

Vendors selling spray paint, urban clothing lines, food and drinks were scattered throughout the event.

Event goers watched as artists' works came to life over the course of the day. The finished artwork remains on the warehouse walls still today and will stay until the walls are wiped clean for next year.

The goal of the project is to introduce people to the art of graffiti.

According to the website, "this raw and cutting edge American-born art form has yet to receive the credit and applause it deserves here in the United States."

For more photos and informaion about the Pintura Project, vist the website at www.pinturaproject.net.