Today we’d like to introduce you to Francesco Ferreri.
Hi francesco, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am Chekos Art, an Italian street artist, muralist, and cultural organizer based in Lecce, Southern Italy. My journey began in the late 1990s through graffiti writing, driven by the energy of urban culture, lettering, and the idea of transforming public spaces into open-air galleries.
Over the years, what started with spray cans and spontaneous street interventions evolved into large-scale murals, public art projects, and international collaborations. My work explores themes such as identity, community, sport, social inclusion, and cultural heritage, often combining bold colors, graphic forms, and influences drawn from both contemporary street art and traditional visual languages.
In 2012, I co-founded 167B Street, an urban art laboratory dedicated to promoting creativity, education, and cultural regeneration through public art. Since then, I have taken part in numerous projects across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, creating murals that connect local stories with global perspectives.
Alongside my artistic practice, I have curated urban art festivals and initiatives, including 167 Art Project and Mural Fest Tirana, helping to create opportunities for dialogue between artists, communities, and cities. I am currently serving as the artistic director of Street Off Propaganda, a new international art project that uses public art as a tool to challenge misinformation, encourage critical thinking, and foster awareness, participation, and intercultural dialogue.
I strongly believe in the transformative power of art to create change, strengthen a sense of belonging, and build bridges between people and cultures. For this reason, every project I develop begins with listening to the place and the community that inhabits it, transforming walls into spaces for storytelling, memory, and connection.
Today, my work continues to focus on the power of public art to inspire, unite people, and leave a positive and lasting impact on the spaces they inhabit. From the streets of Southern Italy to walls around the world, I see every mural as an opportunity to tell a story, celebrate diversity, and build meaningful connections between cultures.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
Like many artists who come from the graffiti and street art scene, my journey started without guarantees, funding, or a clear career path. In the beginning, one of the biggest challenges was convincing people that urban art could be more than vandalism and could become a legitimate cultural and social tool.
Another struggle was building opportunities independently. Coming from Southern Italy, there were not many established pathways for street artists, so I had to create many of my own opportunities through collaborations, community projects, festivals, and grassroots initiatives. Founding 167B Street was part of that process. It required a lot of persistence, organization, and belief in the value of public art.
As my work grew internationally, new challenges emerged. Every project meant adapting to different cultures, languages, communities, and working conditions. Creating murals in unfamiliar environments taught me to be flexible, patient, and open to learning from the people and places around me.
Financial uncertainty, project logistics, and the balance between artistic freedom and professional responsibilities have also been constant challenges. Like many independent artists, there have been moments of risk and uncertainty, but those experiences helped shape both my artistic vision and my approach to life.
Looking back, the difficulties were essential to my growth. They taught me resilience, strengthened my connection to communities, and reinforced my belief that public art can create meaningful change. Every obstacle became part of the journey that brought me to where I am today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work across all areas of urban art. My practice spans street art, large-scale murals, urban regeneration projects, cultural initiatives, and community-based artistic programs. For me, urban art is more than an artistic discipline. It is a powerful language that creates connections, sparks dialogue, and transforms public spaces into places of identity and shared experience.
From a technical perspective, my specialization is stencil art. Over the years, I have developed and refined this technique, adapting it to different scales, surfaces, and contexts. Stencil allows me to combine precision, visual impact, and direct communication, qualities that have become distinctive elements of my artistic work.
I am known for my independent spirit and strong commitment to freedom of expression. Throughout my career, I have always followed my own vision rather than trends or expectations, choosing to remain authentic to my artistic identity. I believe that every artist should find their own voice and have the courage to defend it.
What I am most proud of is having built a career that reflects my values and passion. I have transformed a lifelong connection with urban culture into both a profession and a way of life. I am proud of the relationships I have built through art, the murals I have created in different countries around the world, and the opportunities I have helped generate for artists and communities.
What sets me apart is probably my character, my determination, and my constant desire to experiment. I do not like being confined by predefined rules or artistic boundaries. Instead, I prefer to explore new possibilities, blend different influences, and approach every project with curiosity and an open mind. I believe that an artist’s greatest strength lies in remaining true to themselves while continuing to evolve. For me, freedom of expression is not only a value, but also the foundation of my artistic practice.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I believe that every experience has something to teach us: traveling, meeting new people, facing challenges, and even the simplest conversations. Much of my development, both as an artist and as a person, has come from observing the world around me and engaging in meaningful dialogue with others.
Working in urban art has given me the opportunity to connect with different cultures, communities, and social realities. Every city, every neighborhood, and every person I meet becomes a source of learning and inspiration. Many of my ideas and artistic projects are born from listening to people’s stories and understanding different perspectives.
Of course, I use tools and resources that support my work, but I believe that curiosity, real-life experiences, and human connection are the most valuable resources of all. I try to keep an open mind and remain attentive to what surrounds me, because I believe personal and artistic growth comes from the ability to continuously learn from everything life offers each day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chekosart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chekosart_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chekosart
- Other: https://167bstreet.com
