AKORE. BARCELONA (SPAIN)
Akore is a self-taught graffiti and street artist, widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in contemporary urban art in Barcelona. His artistic vocation began in the late 1980s, within the cultural context of the emerging hip-hop movement in the city’s outskirts. Since then, he has developed a distinctive visual language that merges post-graffiti expression with African aesthetics—resulting in his signature style, Afrocolor.
Rooted in African spirituality, history, and identity, Akore’s work frequently features striking portraits of African women, symbolizing cultural memory and ancestral strength. Born in Murcia, in southeastern Spain—a region geographically and historically connected to Africa—he maintains a deep spiritual and cultural affinity with the continent, which profoundly informs his artistic vision.
His style is characterized by bold color palettes and an energetic synthesis of urban, tribal, and abstract forms. Akore often chooses unauthorized public spaces as his canvas, using street art as a form of creative resistance that challenges conventional norms and fosters public dialogue. His work explores themes such as migration, identity, rupture, and spiritual consciousness.
A committed environmental advocate, Akore integrates recycled and found materials—such as doors, traffic signs, fabrics, and scrap metal—into his practice. This ecological approach underscores his commitment to sustainability and highlights the transformative power of art in addressing contemporary social and environmental issues.
In addition to his studio and street work, Akore has contributed to academic and cultural discourse. He has delivered guest lectures at the University of Barcelona and the Palau de la Música Catalana, and his work is currently being studied by the Department of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
His work has been featured in major media outlets including National Geographic, El País, La Vanguardia, MTV and Greenpeace, and in the internationally broadcast documentary series This is Art (Brutal Media / BBC Studios / TV3 / Movistar+), shown in over 80 countries.
GRAFFITI AND STREET ART
Akore started painting graffiti in 1989 at the age of 13 in Barcelona. Nowadays he’s become one of the most active and well known street artists in Barcelona. He has created a style called ‘Afrocolor‘ that has already influenced other artists.
Photo © Ewelina Karezona
BODY ART
Akore’s engagement with body art reflects a deeper exploration of identity, presence and symbolism, He practices body painting, both in the studio and during live performances. He has painted in festivals like the ‘Let it Beat’ Afrobeat Festival in Barcelona and alive with bands like ‘BCN Afrobeats’.
Photo © Ewelina Karezona
FILM
Akore has recently created a piece of Videoart piece about memory, nature and identity through the senses. He has been the art director and co-script writer of the documentary short film ‘Triunfadores Camuflados‘, about migration.
Triunfadores Camuflados reflects the true story of several African people who fulfill their dream: to succeed, to reach Europe. To do so, they will have to cross—in disguise—the political border that separates both continents, risking their lives through the desert, hiding in trucks, jumping the fence, aboard a small boat, or escaping from the military police of dictatorial governments to defend their freedoms and their ideas. A journey through the emotions, fears, aspirations, frustrations, courage, and hope of humankind.
Akore has also created album covers for bands like ‘Jersey Street’ (UK), BCN Afrobeats (Spain) or the singer Marga Mbande (Spain).
WRITER / SPEAKER
He has collaborated as co-screenwriter on the documentary film Triunfadores Camuflados. His poems and short stories have also found their way into the pages of literary magazines in Spain, France and Latin America.
Akore has shared insights into his life and art career as a guest lecturer at the University of Barcelona, and has also spoken at the iconic Palau de la Música Catalana, where his voice joined the legacy of creativity and culture that defines the venue.
MUSIC
Akore, the producer and beatmaker behind Street and Soul – The Instrumentals (2015), delivers a rich and immersive listening experience, showcasing a distinctive fusion of hip-hop rooted in the golden era of 1989 to 1996.
His production is marked by a raw, unfiltered edge—drawing directly from the streets and the cultural pulse of that influential period in hip-hop history. Through layered beats, samples, ambient textures, and dynamic rhythmic structures, Akore captures the intensity and vibrancy of urban life. As producer, he crafts a powerful auditory journey, where every beat resonates with personal history and collective memory.
