Imagine being on the bus, thirteen years old, staring out the window at a city that never quite stops moving. But between the traffic lights and the cracked pavements, something catches your eye. It is graffiti, bold and unapologetic, stretching across a politician’s mural. For one young street artist, that moment was not just about rebellion. For Waly Torres, it was a revelation.
“I started by looking at works by other artists who had a big influence on me,” says Asunción street artist Waly Torres. “When I was 13, I used to take the bus to school and would see graffiti covering up the politicians’ murals, and that really motivated me to want to do the same.” What moved him was not just the subversive gesture, but the artistry behind it: “The artistic quality and creativity I saw back then,” he adds, with quiet admiration.
Now, years later, this artist has transformed blank city walls into vibrant stories, not just with paint, but with purpose. Though he mostly works solo, he is far from alone. His creative partner, Ximena Rebull, is also his life partner. “I mostly work alone because I enjoy connecting with my surroundings and with the mural itself,” he says. “But I also collaborate with my wife, who is a well-known artist as well.”
Mural for Lido Bar: art with legacy
Waly Torres is now in the process of creating a mural for Lido Bar, one of his most significant recent projects. Lido Bar, founded in 1953, is one of Asunción’s most iconic cultural, and culinary institutions. Known for its rich history and central location, Lido Bar commissioned a design that would reflect its identity. Not just as a restaurant, but as a space rooted in Paraguayan memory and community life.

The mural is a collaboration between Waly, and his wife Ximena. “She is in charge of the piece,” he explains. “We usually split the work: she takes one section and I take the other. In this case, I worked on the highest part of the mural.”
What makes this piece stand out is its authenticity. “The design was made exclusively for Lido,” he mentions. “They gave us very detailed input about what they wanted, how they wanted the composition to feel, and how to harmonise the elements. That made the creative process much more fluid.”
The street artist shaped this mural with intention, making it far more than just a generic decorative wall. It is not only a visual addition to the city centre, but also a reflection of how art can reinforce identity, history, and a sense of belonging. For the artist, it is one more example of how urban art can elevate not only the space it inhabits but the people who pass by it each day.
Birds, belief, and the search for a style
Faith is another brushstroke in his palette. Waly most cherished works are of birds, bold, bright, and full of life. “They bring me a deep sense of calm,” he shares. “As a person of faith, I am moved by the beauty of creation, and birds, with their colours and unique designs, are a wonderful reflection of that.”
Yet even with a growing portfolio, he feels he is still becoming the street artist he wants to be. “I still feel like I am in a phase of discovering my style,” he admits. “My work has led me to explore various techniques, but I am still looking for that something that can influence both myself and society.”
In the meantime, he paints not only for himself, but for those who pass by and pause. “Most people react with amazement and are truly delighted, which always brings me a lot of joy,” he says. “People often come up to me and say things like, ‘Finally, something beautiful is being done in our neighbourhood, it was about time!’”


Waly Torres: creating beauty, despite barriers
Creating public art in Paraguay presents its challenges. “Street art is growing quite a lot here, although not enough just yet,” he explains. “The main issue is with materials: the wider variety is only available in Brazil or Argentina. Here in Paraguay, it is both expensive and scarce. But we do what we can with what we have.”
Still, Waly dreams. Of walls turned into poetry, of colours that connect, of a local factory that one day might make street art easier and more accessible for everyone.
Until then, the street artist will keep painting, one mural, one message, one moment of beauty at a time. Because, as he reminds us: “Art is about inspiring, stirring emotions, and bringing back the positive moments in life.”
For more of his street art, follow Waly Torres on Instagram.


