After trawling through Stephan Doitschinoff's (aka Calma) portfolio, it's easy to believe that he grew up with an Evangelical minister. His religious upbringing and art was/is heavily influenced by all things religious.
The self-taught artist (whose street alias is Calma – Portuguese for 'calm') is now based between Bahia and São Paulo and his art reflects his surroundings, both physically and spiritually. His style is a blend of symbolism and religious art and iconography that stretches the realms of Afro-Brazilian traditions, Paganism, Catholicism and Christianity – often also including Latin text along with pichação (which, according to
Jonathan Levine Gallery, is a style of graffiti writing that is native to São Paolo).
A mash-up of belief makes for some pretty interesting art, evidently – its style is current and archaic at the same time, religious and spiritual, traditional and rebellious.
More at
stephandoit.com.br.