So where did the art part come in?
Seeing as he came from a “humble family,” a side hustle was a must in order to make ends meet. The B-body movement wasn’t going to pay the bills so he had to find a job and it was there that he found his inspiration to start painting.
“I was always curious, determined to learn what captivated me I learned to play instruments, I danced at the time in the b.boy movement. One of the things I liked most was the drawing and graffiti art.”
While working at a kite factory, Samambaia used to spy on an artist painting pictures in their studio. She saw his interest in painting (which far exceeded his desire to build kites) and took him under her wing.
Her instruction in addition to the knowledge and skills he acquired from the streets was the start of a new form of art inspired by the skate culture.
Follow Samambaia on Instagram to see more skateboards and community initiatives from Diamante Bruto.
