Art Is Trash vs. Sixe Art
Barcelona has long been a capital of creativity, a city where street art thrives on every wall, in every alley, and across the urban skyline. Two of its most fascinating and internationally recognized artists are Art Is Trash and Sixe Art (born Sergio Hidalgo Paredes). While both share the city as a stage, their artistic languages, materials, and messages reveal very different approaches to urban art.
Who is Art Is Trash?
Art Is Trash is the alter ego of Francisco de Pájaro, a street artist originally from Zafra, Spain, who made Barcelona his creative home. His work is anarchic, raw, and intentionally impermanent. Using discarded furniture, broken objects, and urban waste, he creates grotesque yet humorous characters that come alive in the city’s streets.
The name Art Is Trash is more than a signature—it’s a manifesto. It challenges the elitism of the art world, mocking consumerism and celebrating the beauty of the discarded. His pieces often appear overnight and vanish within hours or days, making them part of the city’s constantly changing visual dialogue.
Who is Sixe Art?
Sixe Paredes, also known as Sixe Art, is a Barcelona-based artist with deep roots in graffiti culture. Starting in the late 1980s, Sixe evolved from street tags to large-scale, geometric, and surreal murals inspired by Andean culture, pre-Columbian symbolism, and cosmic philosophy. His work combines vivid colors, intricate patterns, and dreamlike figures, blending street art with the visual language of ancient civilizations.
Unlike Art Is Trash, Sixe’s murals are typically long-lasting, carefully planned, and monumental in scale. His art bridges the street and gallery worlds, with exhibitions in institutions like the Tate Modern in London, where he famously painted the façade in 2008 for the "Street Art" show.
Artistic Styles – Ephemeral Chaos vs. Monumental Symbolism
Art Is Trash thrives on improvisation. His art is built from whatever materials the city offers, creating pieces that feel alive, unpredictable, and full of spontaneous energy. His characters have distorted bodies, expressive eyes, and a satirical voice that pokes fun at societal norms.
Sixe Art, in contrast, works with precision and symbolism. His murals are carefully composed with balanced color schemes and symmetrical designs. His work carries a spiritual and cultural weight, drawing on indigenous traditions and universal myths to create layered, timeless narratives.
Themes – Satire vs. Spirituality
Art Is Trash’s messages are grounded in social critique. He speaks about waste culture, inequality, and the absurdity of modern life. Humor is his weapon, and irony is his language.
Sixe Art’s themes reach toward the metaphysical. His work connects the viewer with ancient wisdom, cosmic visions, and an appreciation of humanity’s place in the natural world. Rather than mocking, his murals invite contemplation and connection.
Presence in Barcelona
In Barcelona, Art Is Trash appears in unexpected places: a narrow alley in El Raval, a street corner in Poblenou, or next to an overflowing dumpster. His work is a surprise—something you stumble upon and remember long after it’s gone.
Sixe Art’s pieces are often found on large urban walls, visible from a distance, and are sometimes part of organized street art festivals. His murals in Poblenou and other neighborhoods stand as landmarks, injecting ancient cultural motifs into the modern urban fabric.
International Reach
Both artists enjoy significant global recognition. Art Is Trash has exhibited and worked in cities such as London, Paris, and New York while maintaining his commitment to street-level expression. Sixe Art has brought his unique fusion of Andean culture and modern muralism to festivals and exhibitions worldwide, including Latin America, Europe, and Asia.
Where to Explore Their Work Online
Art Is Trash:
Sixe Art:
Final Thoughts – Two Artists, Two Philosophies
Barcelona’s street art culture thrives because of artists like Art Is Trash and Sixe Art—creators who share the same city but speak in different voices. Art Is Trash is the poet of the discarded, giving life to society’s waste and delivering sharp social commentary. Sixe Art is the visionary muralist, weaving ancient cultural narratives into the city’s architecture.
Together, they remind us why Barcelona remains one of the world’s most inspiring cities for street art: it’s a place where chaos and order, satire and spirituality, trash and timelessness all coexist on the same wall.