Tag Archives: Mural

Banksy new mural in London

March 17, 2024 butterfly

Elusive artist Banksy unveiled a new mural in Finsbury Park, North London on Saint Patrick’s day. Located in Hornsey Road, a social housing area, the council recently pruned a massive mature cherry tree, as part of their regular maintenance, and left it looking miserable.

Before Banksy mural – image courtesy of the artist

Using a pressure hose or fire extinguisher, Banksy painted a cascade of green colour on the façade of the nearby building, creating a trompe l’oeil effect. At the bottom the mural Banksy used a stencil to paint a lifesized person holding a pressure hose next to it. When stepping back, it looks like the tree is bursting to life.

Banksy’s attention to detail is noticeable with the green colour palette matching the one used by Islington Council for signs in the local area. This also helped him act unnoticed despite the bright green colour.

This fire extinguisher technique is a favourite amongst graffiti artists as it enables to cover large surfaces high and wide quickly without the need of a ladder or scaffholding.

Mural by Russian artist 0331© in Moscow, 2012

Local residents expressed joy and pride to the addition of this major cultural element to their streets.

Listen to the podcast on BBC with James Peak and Patrick Nguyen here

Placement and timing are key. A celebration of the green colour (perfect timing with Saint Patrick’s day), combined with a celebration of nature and the springtime season in full bloom.

Update 20.03.2024

Street art is ephemeral by nature.

The mural did not last long in its original state. Three days after unveiling the piece, the wall has received some white splash paint, as well as a little addition with a brick signature character by Ronzo. Can you spot it?

streets

Giant Turtle mural by Hisham Echafaki

August 17, 2018 butterfly

We are pleased to share a new project we have been collaborating with London based artist Hisham Echafaki in Saint-Aubin Chateau-Neuf in Val d’Ocre, France.

Initially known for his intricate surrealist compositions and three dimensional paintings (covered here), the contemporary artist braved the intense heatwave to paint this hyperrealistic monumental turtle.

Strong advocate and protector of the fauna and flora, Hisham Echafaki wanted to pay tribute to one of the endangered species as well as a nod to a Hermann turtle, member of the village since the past 45 years.

See more pictures of the work in progress.

Paris, Shows, Street, streets

Paris: D*Face ‘Turncoat’ Mural

May 11, 2018 butterfly 1 Comment

British artist D*Face (covered) has just completed his second mural in Paris, at 155 boulevard Vincent Auriol, part of the ongoing open air museum in the 13th District with Street Art 13 Mural program.

This is the mural version of his painting ‘Turncoat‘, here on 25 meters high and 15 meters wide. This monumental work marks a departure in D*Face’s work. The portrait is made from a blue colour palette, while most of its pieces are based on a plurality of colors.

The artist, explained it as follows: “The colour scheme is new to me, it’s a new direction, each artist goes through his blue period, at the moment it must be my turn. . ” This palette represents a certain melancholy in his view of the world. The woman lips are tinted with a vibrant electric red, highlighting her power of seduction while her frowning brows and rebellious hair show her strong temperament. D*Face also added his signature wings and pop imagery to the mural.

In parallel, the original painting ‘Turncoat’ is currently visible at the new solo exhibition ‘Fornever‘ at Galerie Itinerrance until 19 May.

View the full set of pics here

Paris, streets

Paris: ESCIF ‘Open Borders’ at Palais de Tokyo

May 1, 2018 butterfly 1 Comment

From May 4th, Palais de Tokyo in Paris will pay tribute to the history and legacy of the May 1968 events with a intervention by Escif, where he reproduced some of the famous writings from that period of student revolts. His creation completes the project, which was started in 2015 by Greek artist Stelios Faitakis, who realized two murals dedicated to the legacy of the situationist movement and civil unrest of May 1968. This intervention is part of the 10th installment of the LASCO Project (covered) curated by Hugo Vitrani, the Urban Art programme of Palais de Tokyo launched in 2012 which features artworks by over sixty international artists throughout its building.

Escif states: “I’m looking for the limit, how to paint a mural that is not a mural (…) The wall is a limit, a tool of power with which we plan, control and manipulate the space of cities. Graffiti abuses of walls by ridiculing them, by transgressing their original function. A painted wall is then no longer a limit but a transversal channel.”

Overlooking the iconic Eiffel Tower, the Spanish artist’s mural features trompe-l’oeil elements like country flags, doors, fire escapes, and wild vegetation throughout the back walls of the Palais de Tokyo, while tags and slogans lacerate the walls.

The written texts are inspired by the graffiti drawn clandestinely in the toilets of the institution which have been archived by the artist, as well as writings that accompanied the student revolts of May 68.

The general composition of the painting is a nod to the board game ‘Snakes and Ladders’ and plunges the player into a journey between vice and virtue. This is a perfect vehicle for Escif to question the part of situationism and politics plays in the art of writing on walls.

View the full set of pics here

ESCIF – Open Borders
From 4 May 2018
Lasco Project
Palais de Tokyo
Paris

Toulouse

Toulouse: 100TAUR Massive Mural

February 20, 2018 butterfly

French artist 100TAUR just completed the largest mural in Toulouse, after a continuous five weeks under extreme weather conditions.

Located in the district of Minimes, the 400 sq meters mural has been commissioned by the Mairie de Toulouse, visible at the rue des Anges.

The mural features strange creatures and hybrid monsters, mythological references, and popular imagery, sometimes borrowed from pop-culture like Sponge Bob or Popeye but also from illustrious painters like Jheronimus Bosch and Picasso.

The artist ‘s signature animal, the slug, symbol of resilience, plays also a big part in the narration with multiple appearances. The painted wall is also adorned with 3D elements giving it more dimensions.