suggested reading method
To best savour this artwork, please take a moment to eliminate distractions. Consider minimizing all other windows on your computer; putting other devices (phone, tv etc) aside; taking a deep breath, to the full extent of your lung capacity; and focusing solely on the “artwork” section.
Once you’ve processed that to your satisfaction, the rest of the post is optional reading, provided only to share my own impressions and reasons for choosing this piece.
artwork
The Nine by Mantra, 2020. Mural in Little Rock, Arkansas. (Image credit)
interpretation
My 2023 to date has involved a surprising amount of travel, and I’m still processing all the inspiration I picked up along the way. One of the highlights was Miami: even in all its humidity, I couldn’t begrudge the city for staying so colourful and lush. I passed some of the Wynwood Walls murals, and wanting to learn more, went to their website where they have an archive of past and present murals. (Definitely check that out, if only for the fun, painterly cursor animations!)
Anyway, Miami is how I found Mantra. His Wynwood mural overlaying butterfly wings is gorgeous, with wide, eye-catching swaths of blue, orange, black, and white. On his website, I was captivated by his penchant for turning the sides of buildings into trompe-l'œil exhibit cases. He creates striking contrasts between bold, graphic, hyper-real compositions and their homes on rectangles of concrete.
This reminder of the beauty inherent in nature may prompt us to consider alternative perspectives on our highly-developed land. Now that much of humankind is accustomed to living in increasingly-cramped apartment buildings, how can we invite back that organic mindfulness? I’m not suggesting a Luddite return to the land, so much as I’m thinking about adding some gentle curves to the perpendicular lines of our lives – the same way Mantra’s butterflies, even immortalized in exhibit cases, still evoke the possibility of freedom and escape from the everyday urban grind.
Or maybe I should just visit a nearby park and “touch grass,” as the kids say…!
context
Youri Cansell, aka Mantra (b. 1987) was born in Metz, France and has been painting since 2008. He is best known for his highly-detailed murals in Miami, New York, France, Switzerland, Germany and beyond.
Which is your favourite view of this mural – day or night – and why? Feel free to share your own thoughts in the comments!