CARACAS, Venezuela -- The glowing face of one of Venezuela's greatest athletes seems to invigorate a corner of the country's decaying capital, a splash of color and inspiration for increasingly grim times.
Elsewhere, swirls of patterns surround a realistic portrait of beloved singer and actor Simon Diaz, an immense image on a wall towering over a Caracas street.
Wolfgang Salazar has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venezuelans -- heroes and everyday folk alike -- at a time when the pandemic and economic hardship weigh upon his fellow citizens.
"I want people to smile for a moment," said the 30-year-old Salazar. "I want them to go home with a different kind of story to tell."
His most recent work, commissioned by a Caracas restaurant, honors triple-jump indoor world record setter Yulimar Rojas, the first Venezuelan honored as athlete of the year by World Athletics.
The mural depicts Rojas' smiling face above a image of her silhouette leaping Venezuela's iconic Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall.
Salazar said he painted Rojas because she embodies the potential of Venezuelan greatness.
Salazar uses the artistic name of Badsura, a play on the English "bad" and the Spanish word "basura," for "garbage." He says he's part of a campaign to legitimize the street art of graffiti and has been invited to several countries in Latin America and Europe to paint murals.
His work also alludes to tough times in a country suffering hyperinflation and hardships that have led at least 5 million to flee abroad.
One mural at Venezuela's Central University in Caracas shows a man shouldering a natural gas canister -- something hard to find of late despite the country's oil wealth -- next to a grandmother holding up candle.
"The main goal is that people see a reflection of themselves," said Salazar, who added that he hopes people will see the murals and say: "I exist. What happens to me exists. I'm real. I feel identified."
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar takes inventory of his aerosol paints accompanied by his son Noah, in their home in the Petare neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. Salazar has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venezuelans — heroes and everyday folk alike. “The main goal is that people see a reflection of themselves,” said Salazar, who added that he hopes people will see the murals and say: “I exist. What happens to me exists. I’m real. I feel identified." (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar takes inventory of his aerosol paints accompanied by his son Noah, in their home in the Petare neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. Salazar has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venezuelans — heroes and everyday folk alike. “The main goal is that people see a reflection of themselves,” said Salazar, who added that he hopes people will see the murals and say: “I exist. What happens to me exists. I’m real. I feel identified." (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Photographs of Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas lay next to cans of paint as street artist Wolfgang Salazar prepares to work
on an art mural featuring Rojas, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. Salazar has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venzuelans — heroes and everyday folk alike — at a time when the pandemic and economic hardship weigh upon his fellow citizens. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Photographs of Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas lay next to cans of paint as street artist Wolfgang Salazar prepares to work
on an art mural featuring Rojas, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. Salazar has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venzuelans — heroes and everyday folk alike — at a time when the pandemic and economic hardship weigh upon his fellow citizens. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar uses his hand to measure proportions as he begins to paint the eyes of his most recent mural, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. Salazar says he's part of a campaign to legitimize the street art of graffiti and has been invited to several countries in Latin America and Europe to paint murals. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar uses his hand to measure proportions as he begins to paint the eyes of his most recent mural, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. Salazar says he's part of a campaign to legitimize the street art of graffiti and has been invited to several countries in Latin America and Europe to paint murals. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar is silhouetted against a twilight sky as he works on his most recent art mural, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. Commissioned by a Caracas restaurant, the mural honors triple-jump indoor world record setter Yulimar Rojas, the first Venezuelan honored as athlete of the year by World Athletics. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar is silhouetted against a twilight sky as he works on his most recent art mural, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. Commissioned by a Caracas restaurant, the mural honors triple-jump indoor world record setter Yulimar Rojas, the first Venezuelan honored as athlete of the year by World Athletics. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar checks the pressure in a can of spray paint while working on his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021. Salazar says he's part of a campaign to legitimize the street art of graffiti. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar checks the pressure in a can of spray paint while working on his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021. Salazar says he's part of a campaign to legitimize the street art of graffiti. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar mixes spray paint backdropped by his most recent art mural featuring Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021. Salazar uses the artistic name of Badsura, a play on the English word “bad” and the Spanish word “basura," for “garbage,” (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar mixes spray paint backdropped by his most recent art mural featuring Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021. Salazar uses the artistic name of Badsura, a play on the English word “bad” and the Spanish word “basura," for “garbage,” (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar works on his mural featuring Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021. Salazar said he chose to paint Rojas because she embodies the potential of Venezuelan greatness. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar works on his mural featuring Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021. Salazar said he chose to paint Rojas because she embodies the potential of Venezuelan greatness. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar works on his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. The mural depicts triple-jump indoor world record setter Yulimar Rojas’ smiling face above an image of her silhouette leaping Venezuela's iconic Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar works on his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. The mural depicts triple-jump indoor world record setter Yulimar Rojas’ smiling face above an image of her silhouette leaping Venezuela's iconic Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar wears a safety painter’s mask as he considers his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. Street artist Wolfgang Salazar uses the artistic name Badsura, a play on the English word “bad” and the Spanish word “basura," for “garbage.” (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar wears a safety painter’s mask as he considers his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. Street artist Wolfgang Salazar uses the artistic name Badsura, a play on the English word “bad” and the Spanish word “basura," for “garbage.” (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar works into the night on his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. The mural, commissioned by a Caracas restaurant, depicts the smiling face of Venezuelan triple-jump indoor world record setter Yulimar Rojas. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar works into the night on his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. The mural, commissioned by a Caracas restaurant, depicts the smiling face of Venezuelan triple-jump indoor world record setter Yulimar Rojas. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar unfolds a portable ladder as he works into the night on his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. Salazar uses the artistic name of Badsura, a play on the English word “bad” and the Spanish word “basura," for “garbage.” (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar unfolds a portable ladder as he works into the night on his most recent mural in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. Salazar uses the artistic name of Badsura, a play on the English word “bad” and the Spanish word “basura," for “garbage.” (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Street artist Wolfgang Salazar studies his mural honoring Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas as he adds finishing touches, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Salazar has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venezuelans at a time when the pandemic and economic hardship weigh upon his fellow citizens. “I want people to smile for a moment,” said the 30-year-old Salazar. “I want them to go home with a different kind of story to tell.” (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Street artist Wolfgang Salazar studies his mural honoring Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas as he adds finishing touches, in the Boleita neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Salazar has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venezuelans at a time when the pandemic and economic hardship weigh upon his fellow citizens. “I want people to smile for a moment,” said the 30-year-old Salazar. “I want them to go home with a different kind of story to tell.” (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![Pedestrians walk past an art mural featuring singer and actor Simon Diaz painted by Wolfgang Salazar in the Chacao neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Salazar, who uses the artistic name of Badsura, a play on the English word “bad” and the Spanish word “basura," for “garbage,” has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venezuelans — heroes and everyday folk alike — at a time when the pandemic and economic hardship weigh upon his fellow citizens. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
Pedestrians walk past an art mural featuring singer and actor Simon Diaz painted by Wolfgang Salazar in the Chacao neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Salazar, who uses the artistic name of Badsura, a play on the English word “bad” and the Spanish word “basura," for “garbage,” has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venezuelans — heroes and everyday folk alike — at a time when the pandemic and economic hardship weigh upon his fellow citizens. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
![A mural tagged Badsura features a grandmother holding a candle, at Venezuela's Central University in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Salazar has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venezuelans — heroes and everyday folk alike — at a time when the pandemic and economic hardship weigh upon his fellow citizens. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)]()
A mural tagged Badsura features a grandmother holding a candle, at Venezuela's Central University in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Salazar has gained increasing fame for his spray-painted murals of Venezuelans — heroes and everyday folk alike — at a time when the pandemic and economic hardship weigh upon his fellow citizens. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
