Lula Goce was born in Galicia, Spain. She holds a degree in Fine Arts, specializing in painting. Later, she moved to Barcelona, where she completed a PhD, a Master’s degree in Artistic Creation, and further studies in Graphic Design and Illustration. With this extensive artistic background, it was only a matter of time before she expanded her practice from galleries to the walls of the city.
Many of Lula’s works can be found on large-scale murals that integrate seamlessly into the urban environment while creating a dialogue with the public. Her talent has taken her around the world, and her work has been featured in renowned festivals such as 501 See Street in New York, North West Walls in Belgium, and Waterford Walls in Ireland.
You are originally from Galicia, but you studied art in Salamanca and later moved to Barcelona to pursue a PhD. When you arrived in Barcelona, what led you into the world of urban art?
I have always been interested in urban interventions, whether through painting, sculpture, or installation-based practices.
Back in Galicia, I was already painting in public spaces, and during my studies in Salamanca many of my projects involved murals or site-specific interventions in public environments.
When I arrived in Barcelona, I joined a shared studio in an industrial warehouse in Poblenou, where many artists worked together. We organized exhibitions, events, interventions, and painting sessions in abandoned spaces, which were abundant in the area at the time—unused factories and ruined buildings.
I also collaborated on projects with Hangar and created mural interventions at art centers such as Santa Mònica and the CCB. Any excuse was good enough to intervene in space with markers or paint.
Looking back, I think it all happened naturally and gradually. Over time, the practice has grown and transformed, but the desire to intervene in public space has always been there.
Painting in the street involves having a direct relationship with both the environment and its inhabitants. How do people usually react to your large-scale works in public space? What attracts you most about interacting with the public?
People react in many different ways, but almost always positively.
At first, people tend to be curious and uncertain about what is happening. As the mural grows, they begin approaching, asking questions, and interacting. By the time they see it nearly finished, they often congratulate me, encourage me, and express their emotions about the work.
It is very rewarding because it allows you to see the positive impact the mural has on both the environment and the people who live there.
Your works are characterized by a highly distinctive figurative style. What are your main sources of inspiration? Is there a connection between the people you paint and your personal experience?
My inspirations range from classical Baroque and Mannerist painting to contemporary painters and sculptors, as well as graphic design and illustration.
Today, sources of inspiration are deeply interconnected, and given the level of visual saturation we live with, it is difficult to point to a single influence.
Could you explain the creative process you follow when producing your works?
I begin with a digital sketching process.
I usually start from my own photographs, although sometimes I use images from the internet or from friends. Then I create collages using Procreate, Illustrator, and Photoshop. I retouch, crop, and draw over the images until I find the right composition.
For mural projects, I work directly on a photograph of the location so that I can consider the surrounding architecture, colors, light, and environmental elements while composing the piece. Everything becomes part of the artwork.
Once on site, I transfer the sketch to the wall and begin painting, usually combining acrylic paint with spray paint for specific details.
Among the disciplines you master—painting, illustration, and muralism—why do you think muralism has become the area in which you have stood out the most?
I honestly do not know exactly why.
I think it is the result of everything I have mentioned before. I feel extremely comfortable working in public space, and I always have. The whole process has developed very naturally, and I suppose I am pretty good at it too. 😉
You have painted murals all over the world, participated in international festivals, and exhibited in museums and cultural institutions. Which projects have been the most challenging for you as an artist?
Every project presents its own challenges.
Some neighborhoods are easier and more comfortable places to paint than others. Difficulties can arise from the location, the people, the traffic, or the building itself.
If I had to highlight two projects, the first would be the large-scale mural I painted at North West Walls in Belgium in 2015. It was my first mural on a six-story building, and learning to operate the lift while working at that scale was a huge challenge.
The second would be a project in Azerbaijan because of the cultural differences involved. Although the country is relatively secular, people were not accustomed to seeing a woman in shorts standing on a lift painting with rollers. There were some stressful moments, but it was an incredible experience overall.
In 2018, you created a large-scale mural as part of Womart, a project curated by Rebobinart. What was your experience like?
It was a very positive experience, both because of the opportunity to work with Rebobinart and because of the project’s content and location.
I have a special affection for Catalonia after living in El Prat and Barcelona for twelve years. Returning to Barcelona, which played such an important role in my artistic development, is always very meaningful.
Vilanova is also a beautiful place, and the people were wonderful from the very first day.
Although feminism is currently highly visible, gender inequalities still exist within the art sector. What has your experience been as a woman artist in the male-dominated field of urban art? Have you noticed changes in recent years?
I believe that women remain underrepresented across most artistic disciplines.
There are many women working in urban art, but it often feels as though men still occupy the most visible positions. Sometimes it can feel like, no matter how much effort you put in, you never quite reach the same level of recognition.
Even so, I believe that continuing to work is the best way to break down those stereotypes and mental barriers.
One advantage of urban art compared to gallery-based art is that once you become part of the scene, the recognition is public. Urban art is a popular art form whose channels of dissemination differ from traditional systems.
It is ordinary people who promote your work first, and through them you eventually reach conventional media outlets, which then amplify what is happening.
Finally, could you tell us one positive and one negative aspect of urban art?
The positive side is everything.
I think it is fantastic to be able to connect directly with people while becoming immersed in a place as you create a work.
The negative side? The weather.
