24/7 Valencia: Explain to us the concept of your work as ‘NENA WAPA WAPA’…

NENA WAPA WAPA: When I paint alone in the street and I can devote myself to my personal projects, to my ideas, and to expressing them, I speak above all of the feminine world and of concepts such as freedom. I try to make people stop and think when they see them, and that is why I use a palette that is not very saturated or in black and white, and with simple compositions, to make them stand out from all the brightly coloured murals that surround them.

24/7 Valencia: Tell us something about your influences and artistic background…

I have a degree in Fine Arts and I had always been attracted by the graffiti that was found on the streets, I made contact with sprays and the street for the first time in 2001 or 2002, I can’t remember exactly. I made some pieces but I was not happy with the results.

In 2008, I started to work with stencils and another approach and that has been the path I have followed.

My influences have always been people around me, from all of them I learn something and I put it into practice.

24/7 Valencia: What is the meaning of the NENA WAPA WAPA tag?

The name “La nena wapa wapa” began as a joke with some friends from Albacete.

24/7 Valencia: For artists, how do you see Valencia today?

In Valencia, there are and have been very good graffiti and mural artists. Today, people have learned to value the work you see on the streets and the artists. However, on a work level it’s complicated and you have to fight hard for people to understand and value this work. They think that because you like to paint, you’ll like to paint for free too… and that’s not the case.

 24/7 Valencia: Do you have plans?

Of course, there are plans for the coming years, as long as health and time allow…

Interview by Will McCarthy

Article copyright ’24/7 Valencia’

More information at https://www.flickr.com/photos/nenawapawapa/