Mathieu Bories, aka Mateo or Bobo, is a visual street artist born in France in 1985. He questions the perception of the world which surrounds us and the impact of traditions on our Western societies. His humanistic approach proposes to reconnect with fundamental inspirations by building a bridge to our deep origins and the romanticism erased from our contemporary way of life. Traditional patterns travel souvenirs, symbols, and forgotten images are all part of the raw materials that compose the personal monolog of the soul, the one in search of timeless knowledge.

After completing a master's degree in art in Toulouse, Mateo heads to Montreal in 2008 to work as a graphic designer. He then takes off for a long trip all around South America where he, still to this day, paints murals whenever he has the chance to visit. Mateo heads back to Montreal after his inspirational South American trip and decides to entirely devote himself to the world of art. Between the studio and the streets, he creates artworks that are largely influenced by the Street Art movement with many materials at his fingertips.

Prior to his Latin American experience, he used to prepare every mural meticulously and calculate all of its details. When visiting Argentina, Mateo started to adopt the method of his peers by simply walking up to a wall, rolling on a base color, using the stencils he felt inspired to use at that moment and simply let the magic happen. He would then add patterns, ideas, and words as they came to him. His creative process has now become a mix of artistic research and spontaneous inspirations which often comes from music.

Mateo has always admired Basquiat, who brought something unique to the world of art, his naïve yet thoughtful approach is what fascinate Mateo the most. He enjoys creating from his bare hands an artwork that has no use but is however full of feelings, ideas and concepts, just like his inspiration Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Symbols, nature, and travels are three elements that all have the same meaning for this artist: to slow down and take the time to observe our surroundings. There is a spirituality that we have distanced ourselves from. His murals, therefore, have an alternative proposition to the current lifestyles we choose to live: work at a slower pace in order to consume our surroundings.

Mateo’s work can be found in France, Quebec, the United States, Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Latvia.