Urto: The Street Artist Who Paints Nature and Three-Eyed Fish

Italian street artist Urto, born in Catanzaro, began his graffiti journey around 1998-99 at age 14, initially using the tag "LUPIN" inspired by Lupin III, then "FURTO," before settling on "URTO" for brevity and balance. He is a member of the OCZB crew, active for over 18 years. Urto's work often features three-eyed fish, a motif referencing a mutated fish caught near Cordoba, Argentina, near a nuclear plant, symbolizing human-caused environmental destruction. He participated in the Blueflow festival on Ventotene island and the Stigmatize exhibition curated by Rossana Calbi at the Florence Convention Tattoo, presenting an artwork combining cells, fish, stars, and blue fluid representing spirituality. Urto distinguishes between graffiti (seen as vandalism) and street art (accepted as art), noting that street art today offers more legal spaces and visibility but less risk and authenticity. He values the adrenaline of early illegal painting and the community of hip-hop jams. His creative process is instinctive, spontaneous, and blue. He hopes to live closer to nature, paint freely, and see a more conscious, less frantic world.