In recent hours, the news has shocked the culture of La Plata. Lumpen Bola, the stage name of Eduardo Alcántara, one of the central references for La Plata’s urban art of the past 25 years, has died. His death was sudden and surprising, and had a deep impact among his friends, colleagues, and followers. “Dear friend, fly high and rest in peace,” Roquembault wrote in white letters on a black plaque in his first public farewell.
The shock was immediate. Lumpen Bohra was full of projects, energy and plans for the future. In a few days, they were planning to open Tallaght 321, a cultural center that was being renovated with the same enthusiasm with which they painted hundreds of walls. His departure cut short that new phase that excited him as much as the first mural intervention.
Over the years, he has cultivated an easily recognizable style
Eduardo Alcantara well remembered that he did not start with the walls, but “with painting on easels, frames and drawings.” But his life changed forever in his hometown of Olmos when a labor dispute broke out at the Mafisa factory that mobilized the community. A group called Cien Volland came to support the worker and invited him to paint with them. “That’s how I became obsessed with translating images to scale,” he said. That learning would forever mark his destiny.
After the collective disbanded, he formed an urban art project with Luxor that was more artistic than political. It was there that he found his own voice, an homage to rock.
In the La Loma district, he painted over 38 murals dedicated to Luca Prodan, Spinetta, Cerati and many figures of popular music. Facebook extended that bond even further. Neighbors sought out his murals, took photos and organized walking tours. Lumpen Bohra unintentionally transformed the neighborhood, and the entire city began to take notice of him as an essential artist.
He himself defined his work as a way to democratize art, saying, “The street is the great gallery.” And he explained the reason as follows: “Street galleries make art accessible to everyone…The wall is always the skin of an era or an event.” That belief was his compass.
Social contribution and a life full of bonds
Those who know Eduardo talk about him as more than just an artist. They remember him as a warm and supportive man who was always ready. “I transform wall space into light and color,” he defined himself on the network. However, his achievements were not limited to his work. His social conscience was inseparable from his name.
Mural painted by entretantos Lumpen Bora and Rodrigo Zito in Valparaiso, Chile
In recent years, he has formed an artistic and emotional partnership with the rock band Entretantos, and together they travel to different parts of the country, intervening in spaces, supporting causes, and leaving murals celebrating music and community. In Iruya, Salta, they painted together in front of a small school in their neighborhood, despite the sweltering heat. It wasn’t a mission. It was his way of giving back.
The musicians defined it as part of a “brotherhood of friends.” In fact, part of the band led by Rodrigo Zito is in Chile today for cultural activities, and Lumpen Bora was also part of them. News has arrived from Valparaiso. They wrote, “With a broken heart,” and couldn’t understand how the sudden death of their friend, who kept calling them from any wall, could tear them apart.
A heritage that is already part of La Plata’s DNA
In addition to La Loma’s iconic murals, Eduardo painted milestone works for the city. These include the representation of La Plata’s heritage in 6 and 46 years, the UNLP’s 40 Years of Democracy mural by Alfonsín and Sabato, or the recent “Good Argentina” mural in Altos de San Lorenzo with Messi, Maradona, Evita, Favalolo, the Abuelas and others. Malvinas was built in dialogue with neighboring residents. “When the work is finished, it no longer belongs to me…it belongs to my neighbor,” he often said.
He created 40 to 50 murals a year. I drew pictures every day. The work tired him, but it also drove him. “At first you feel excited, then you feel angry because you’re tired, and when it’s over you want to start the next thing,” he confessed. What he enjoyed most was seeing people’s reactions, he said, and that’s where the mural’s real meaning lies.
His death surprised even those who saw him every day. There were no signs or outages. Lumpen Bohra was active, working and dreaming.
His absence will be felt, but he will continue to speak through those walls, telling his stories and those of others. His murals, most of which were created from the heart and with little more than a gesture to the community, will remain a testament to a life dedicated to transforming streets into shared beauty.
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