L7M

Luis Martins, known as L7M — the 7 standing for his middle name "Seven," the L and M for his initials — is a Brazilian street artist born in 1988 on the outskirts of São Paulo. Drawn to art from childhood, he won numerous cultural competitions before discovering graffiti at the age of thirteen. Working with spray cans led him to experiment with china ink, latex, acrylic and pastel, developing a hybrid technique that would become his hallmark.

His work is defined by monumental bird portraits in which meticulous realism collides with abstract chaos on the same surface. Sparrows, owls, ducks and birds of prey emerge from swirling compositions of dripping paint, stencilled fractals and shattered geometry. Beyond avian subjects, the artist explores the friction between nature and the urban environment, fragile beauty and visual disorder. His studio practice has been shown in solo and group exhibitions in Paris, Dubai and Dortmund.

Now based in Paris after years in São Paulo, he has painted walls across Brazil, France, the United States, Portugal, Italy and Venezuela. His vivid, instantly recognisable murals have been featured by international outlets including Colossal, Bored Panda and My Modern Met.