Nicolás “Nico” Magaña from Valparaiso, Chile. In the midst of fermenting unrest in Chile, Nico has been a graphic design student at the University of Chile. An aspiring tattoo artist, he relented to his parents pressure to get a university degree. There, he found a like-minded group who would meet every evening to discuss political corruption, social injustices and identity issues.

 “It’s all about screaming without words, but with ink and paper–to ask and fight for our rights. Eventually we all have something to say. And there are so many things to say.”

They experimented with a variety of media, techniques, and topics, and means of expression– using popular icons in irreverent ways, or using the body unabashedly to address gender equality issues. He says he’s not a leader, but his talent and thoughtful approach to activism, make him one who others like to follow. He’s quiet and a hard worker, doing what he loves: “enjoying breaking the chains of society’s narrowminded conventions.” When the protest broke out, he was ready.

“We were motivated by our friendship and desire to do something–.it was about resistance and reporting cases of abuse–to use permitted or illegal spaces for graffiti, posters. Images that would invite questioning about the life we were living, and what was happening in our country and university.”