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      Bright Elephants Squeeze Into Their Surroundings in Site-Specific Murals by Artist Falko One

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      #elephants
      #murals
      #public art
      #street art

      July 22, 2020
      Grace Ebert

      “Everybody wants to be down with the dude on top the stairs” (2019), Cape Town, South Africa. All images © Falko One, shared with permission
      For decades, Falko One (previously) has been transforming blank staircases and piles of refuse around South Africa into homes for his technicolor elephants. Despite their striking hues, each mural is site-specific, allowing it to blend in with the facades and surrounding environments. The artist might position the trunk along a ventilation duct or the torso atop cinder blocks and crates, creating an optical illusion within his vivid murals. “My approach is just to add a bit of color to the space without breaking the scenery,” he tells Colossal. “I try not to make them too intrusive. I always respect that for that moment I am just a tourist to that specific community.”
      Generally, the artist finds viewers are drawn in by the colors before considering the ways the elephant bends and conforms to the structured space. “The value for me is listening to the debate about it. At that moment, there are no wrong or right answers. What better way to get people to discuss something without telling them to discuss it. It’s not a formal discussion on the street but playful, honest banter. I like that the most,” he notes.
      Often sharing his latest murals on Instagram, the artist’s motivation for painting the massive pachyderms is simple and about accessibility. “Everyone loves an elephant,” he says.

      “Evergreen” (2018), Cape Town, South Africa
      “Brick Ross” (2020), Cape Town, South Africa
      “Broke back boat” (2019), Praia, Cape Verde Islands
      “Heavy metal” (2019), Johannesburg, South Africa
      “Homestead” (2016), Nkandla, South Africa
      “Perioscope” (2019), Johannesburg, South Africa
      “Welcome home” (2016), Coffee Bay, South Africa
      “What have you done for me lately” (2019), Cape Town, South Africa
      “Wheel of fortune” (2019), Praia, Cape Verde Islands

      #elephants
      #murals
      #public art
      #street art

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      “Pensées du bouffon rouge” by Pboy in Paris, France

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      French muralist Pascal Boyart, aka PBoy, has recently completed a new mural titled “Pensées du bouffon rouge” (Contemplation of the Red Jester) in Rue de Montmorency, Paris 3ème. This amazing 6mt wide acrylic painting depicts the famous “Stańczyk” Red Jester by Jan Matejko (1838-1893) plus some modern additions to reflect about the current problems that riddle the global economy. Stańczyk was the court jester when Poland was at the height of its political, economic and cultural power during the era of the Renaissance in the 16th century. He was a very popular figure, an eloquent man considered more than a mere entertainer, using satire to comment on the nation’s past, present, and future.

      Passionate about drawing since his youth, Pascal Boyart grew up in Paris near La Chapelle, the birthplace of European graffiti. During the last 15 years he covered the walls of Paris with his realistic figurative frescoes inspired by an evident fascination for monumental portraits. Pboy is notably the first mural painter to affix a Bitcoin QR code for donations, to support his future works with no intermediaries involved. The mural has been painted in two days on the facade of the Galerie W Landau, as part of the W-Art United Festival. Check out below for more images of the Red Jester.

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      As a Tribute, Vhils Carves Ten Masked Healthcare Workers into a Hospital Wall in Porto

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