Cristina Veiga 01.07.2016 Brazilian graffiti artist’s campaign to support invisible recyclers has become a global movement Eleven years ago, graffiti artist Thiago Mundano had his first encounter with one of Brazil’s 800,000 informal waste pickers, or catadores, when he asked for permission to paint the underside of a São Paulo flyover. “What do you mean you want to vandalise my home?!” said the angry catador, who was sleeping on the pavement. In order to avoid a conflict the artist quickly responded: “Can I paint your trash cart? If you don’t like it, I’ll paint over it.” With permission granted, Mundano not only brought colour to the catador’s cart, but etched the phrase that would become the mantra for a successful partnership: “Your trash is my treasure.” Days later, Mundano received a phone call from a friend saying he had seen a cart bearing his signature, or “tag”, on the other side of town. In getting the catador and his work noticed, Mu