Venezuelan Artist Promotes Art and Ecology Through His Murals

Venezuelan artist Oscar Olivares, whose work can be found in more than 20 countries, has become internationally recognized for combining art and environmental awareness through large-scale murals made from recycled plastic bottle caps.

This award-winning illustrator, who is awaiting official Guinness World Records recognition, has participated in events such as Florida Supercon 2017 and London’s Passion for Freedom Art Festival. Through his Eco-arte project, Olivares has created murals throughout Venezuela as well as in France, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Mexico, and several other countries.

“Pointillism helped me understand that every bottle cap was a point of color. That realization allowed me to take this material to a completely new level,” says the 28-year-old artist.

His murals are collaborative by nature, encouraging communities to participate by collecting and placing bottle caps. According to Olivares, these projects transform not only public spaces but also the people who inhabit them.

The use of recycled bottle caps has propelled his career to international prominence. In September 2022, he created the world’s largest bottle-cap mural in Guatire, Miranda State, Venezuela. The project required 300,000 bottle caps and 33 days of work, ultimately covering 330 square meters.

Although it has yet to receive official Guinness recognition, it surpasses the currently certified record holder, whose mural measures 270 square meters.

Source: Interview conducted by journalist Carolina Marín.