Somewhere deep in Patagonia, far from the noise of big galleries and shiny art fairs, there’s a man quietly creating magic out of metal junk.
His name is Guillermo Galetti — but most people know him as El Ladrón de Chatarra, which literally means The Scrap Thief. And honestly, the name fits him perfectly. He roams around collecting bits and pieces most of us would walk past — old gears, rusted iron, broken tools — and turns them into something you can’t stop looking at.
He Doesn’t Just Make Sculptures. He Brings Them to Life.
Guillermo doesn’t believe in “do not touch” signs. In fact, his sculptures are made to be touched, played with, turned, and set in motion. They’re interactive machines — like little biomechanical creatures — that respond to your hand. One crank of a lever, and a metal unicorn starts flapping its wings. Turn another gear, and a weightlifter lifts with perfect mechanical balance. Every piece teaches something, without trying too hard. Physics, motion, rhythm — all tucked inside a sculpture built from trash.
What makes this even more beautiful? Guillermo started out as a teacher. And even today, in everything he builds, that teacher’s spirit is still alive. He’s just swapped chalkboards for chains and gears.
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A Museum Show Where You Had to Touch the Art
In 2025, he put together a show in Villa La Angostura called “Prohibido No Tocar” — which cheekily translates to “Do Not NOT Touch”. It was a room full of his interactive sculptures, and visitors were encouraged to do the exact opposite of what most art spaces tell you — touch everything. Play. Move. Explore.
And that’s the whole point of his work. It’s not just to look good — it’s meant to be felt. It’s meant to make you curious again.
The show was such a hit that his town named him a “Distinguished Personality.” Not because he’s famous. But because he’s doing something that actually matters — using art to connect people, recycle materials, and remind us that creativity doesn’t need fancy supplies. It needs imagination.
When Scrap Reaches the World
Even though Guillermo works from a quiet corner of Argentina, his work has found its way across the world. He’s been invited to Spain’s popular TV show El Hormiguero more than once, where he shows off his kinetic sculptures. One of his most viral pieces? A moving sculpture of Slash from Guns N’ Roses — which Slash himself ended up sharing.
But his most powerful piece? A prosthetic arm he built from scrap for a young kid. Functional, thoughtful, and full of soul. That’s the kind of artist he is — always building with purpose.
His Instagram is a Goldmine of Joy
Scroll through @ladrondechatarra and you’ll instantly get it. His feed isn’t about perfection — it’s about process. You’ll see sparks flying, hands tinkering, and kids (and adults) lighting up as they spin, twist, and interact with his work.
There’s a kind of magic in what he does. Not just because it’s impressive engineering, but because it brings people back to something simple and joyful. Touch. Play. Wonder. Repeat.
Why He’s More Than Just an Artist
Guillermo Galetti reminds us that art doesn’t need to be polished. It can be rough, rusted, repurposed. It doesn’t need a museum — it just needs space to move.
He shows us that the things we throw away still have stories left in them.
And sometimes, those stories just need the right pair of hands to bring them back to life.
Guillermo Galetti is an artist from Argentina who turns scrap metal into moving sculptures that make you stop, smile, and think.
People call him El Ladrón de Chatarra — the scrap thief — because he takes old, forgotten junk and brings it back to life in the coolest ways. His work moves — literally. You crank it, push it, and it responds.
A former teacher, Guillermo mixes creativity with curiosity, building pieces that teach without feeling like school.
His art is fun, thoughtful, and full of soul. With every spin and click, Guillermo Galetti proves junk can still spark wonder.
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