Otávio and Gustavo Pandolfo are two identical twin brothers from São Paulo – Brazil. They were born in 1974 and started painting at a very young age. In fact, it’s said that both brothers used to share the same sheet of paper and often choose the same theme to draw when they were kids. By 1986, the brothers began creating graffiti art in downtown São Paulo, around the same time that hip hop Hip Hop music was becoming popular and influenced Otávio and Gustavo’s artistic style. Breakdancing was one of the inspirations for their style. By 1993, the 19 year old brothers started decorated stores and offices with graffiti. In 1995 the twin brothers were invited to show their work at an exposition at the MIS - Image and Sound Museum.

The Pandolfo twin brothers have become a tremendous success, internationally recognized for their work. Their first international exposition was in 2003, at the  Luggage Store Gallery and in 2005 with a more art plastic exposition at the Deich Projects Gallery. Otávio and Gustavo gained notoriety and are considerate one of the most important representatives of the street art. You can follow Os Gêmeos by clicking on their blog right here. You can also watch one of the brothers interview by clicking in the video below:

I ‘m a big fan of the Twin Brothers. For Brazilians, their work is symbolic of a breakthrough in the art world. It’s fantastic to see their street art gain so much attention in art galleries, not only in Brazil but all over the world. São Paulo is the vanguard of this movement; walking thought the streets of downtown you can see many of their paintings and murals.  On Adventures in Brazil tours that include São Paulo, it’s always a pleasure to bring travelers around the city to appreciate the architecture and share the unique art street that reflects the vibrancy of Brazilian culture.

Ricardo Paoletti - São Paulo - Brazil