VIOLETA’S BEAR by SHALAK ATTACK. Photo: Elias Touil
SHALAK ATTACK
AT THE EARLY AGE OF FOUR, SHE WAS ALREADY DRAWING ON THE WALLS OF THE FAMILY HOME.
The Montreal artist, born to Chilean parents, is a true citizen of the world. Trained at Concordia University, from where she received a bachelor’s degree with honors in Studio Arts, SHALAK sees her many collaborations with artists in various communities around the world as equally important to her
artistic development.
SHALAK combines the spirit of South American muralism with contemporary urban art. Her murals bring life, color and style to public spaces and raise awareness. Through her art, she draws our attention to the mistreatment of Pachamama, otherwise known as Mother Nature, caused by the over-exploitation
of her resources. SHALAK often paints endangered animal species, giving them a strong presence as a reminder that their precarious state is caused by our addiction to materialistic consumption.
Her murals are a form of statement, she says, to express that “we humans are not above nature,
but we are part of its immense biodiversity.”
Artist Biography
Shalak Attack is a Canadian-Chilean visual artist dedicated to painting, muralism, spray-paint urban art and canvas art. For over a decade, she has expressed herself on walls across the world. Shalak has participated in numerous artistic projects and exhibitions in Canada, Chile, Brazil, UK, Holland, Germany, Sweden, Senegal, Palestine, Jordan, Israel, Belgium, Spain, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, USA, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic. She is a co-founder and co-director of the Clandestinos, Bruxas and Essencia Art Collective international art collectives.
In Shalak's artistic practice, she fuses the spirit of South American muralism with contemporary street art. Her distinctive multi-layering and signature use of colour are hallmarks of her unique style, which inhabits the realm of psychedelic magical realism. Specializing in her acclaimed and evocative “animal spirits" and vibrant human portraits, she creates visual narratives that strive to honour the sacred power of Nature.
