finding cain

This massive artwork in Sao Paulo has to be one of the most striking murals I've seen in quite a while. The 1,000-square-meter painting by Mundano was created using 200 kilograms of ashes. According to Reuters , the Brazilian street artist travelled thousands of miles across the country to collect ashes from the Amazon fires. "I'm using evidence of the crime," said Mundano, calling the giant fresco an act of "artivism". "This mural is a protest, a cry for help," he added. "I support fire brigades and also for this fire culture to stop, it's leading us to self-destruction." Great job, Mr. Mundano. We hope this will call the attention to the crisis before our forests are gone.

When did I first see the work of Iemza ? I can't remember. Most likely it was on tumblr, while I was searching for awesome outdoor murals. I've been a long time fan of the French artist, and the striking mainly black and white drawings and paintings he produces on decaying walls always struck a chord with me. Despite the absence of color, his illustrations are shaded just right and the way he lays everything out consistently creates a recipe for perfect balance. Here are some of them:

One of my favorite street artists, Pejac , recently completed a series of beautiful murals in Spain as a tribute to the brave and diligent COVID-19 frontliners in his home country.

I really like this pocket-sized mural by street artist D*Face —his new collaboration with Zippo. From a Wonderland Magazine interview with the artist: I'm typically not a very "mood-board" kind of person but it certainly made for an interesting challenge to create an artwork that fit both the wall and the lighter simultaneously. The stripes graphic worked nicely because you’ll notice the top stripe of the head pops off when you flick the top of the lighter – I liked the idea of the head and the flame being a kind of hidden alternate top piece to the design – setting my head alight or the ’spark’ inside my head… every time you use it seemed amusing too.

If you were combining spray paints with X-rays, you'd likely get this kind of art. British artist SHOK-1 painted this mural in Hackney as part of the inaugural London Mural Festival. It features a cool blend of art and science and I think SHOK-1 did an amazing job rescuing that bare, boring wall.

Figuring out what to paint is challenging. Incorporating puzzle patterns to be part of that painting is even more difficult. Pulling it off flawlessly every time is mind boggling, and that's exactly what MrKas does on a regular basis. The talented aerosol painter was born and raised in Portugal and is a regular participant in street art festivals. His work can be seen in countries such as China, Malaysia, UAE, Indonesia, Italy, Greece, Malta, France, The Netherlands, Finland, Portugal and Ireland. Make sure you've got some time to kill before checking out his Instagram , because you might have difficulty turning away, just like me. Despite the size and diversity of Tanauan, it still has the charm and atmosphere of a small town. I really like it here. Unfortunately, Tanaueños generally have no or only limited access to art. MrKas, please paint our city walls.

Kate Tova just finished this beautiful mural in San Francisco in honor of the black women who died from police brutality. Instead of portraying just one of the victims, she decided to combine their features to create an artwork to represent all of them. I really like the thick brushstrokes and the vibrant, spirited hues.  Kate, who was born in Russia, plans to auction off the painting to help the local black community. Signed limited edition prints are available at her website and 100% of profits will be donated to Black Artist Fund.

I was planning on doing a post about someone else today, but then I found this old but interesting video about FAILE. I first discovered their art back in 2015, when they visited the Philippines to take part in a weeklong mural-centric event at the BGC. I remember staring at the wall and admiring the colorful piece made by the Brooklyn-based duo. The group was founded by Patrick McNeil and Patrick Miller, who met in high school and began collaborating at an early age. They are best-known for their fragmented style of collages, assemblages and multimedia works that blur the boundaries between fine art, street art, and pop culture.

I got introduced to Alice Pasquini's work via Twitter a few hours ago and was immediately intrigued by her art, which revolves around topics of femininity and independent women. A little intro: She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, and works as an illustrator, set designer and painter. She has lived and worked in the U.K, France, and Spain, and has completed projects with international brands, such as Canon, Nike, Range Rover, Toyota, and Microsoft. From large murals to small canvasses, Alice's creativity shines through in every city she visits, thanks to her unique style. It's impossible to choose favorites because they're all stunning and you'll have to go to her website to experience them all.

Manila-based visual artist Archie Oclos is on a quest to prove that street art can make a difference. His murals mostly represent the under-represented, and his work serves as a form of commentary on issues such as extra-judicial killings and violence against indigenous peoples. They're inspiring, easy to remember, and socially relevant. Anyway, here's some music.

This is a shot of BiP's massive new mural in San Francisco . The artwork shows a child holding a pistol, wearing a police uniform, and sporting what appears to be a kid's version of a body cam. It is an eight-story statement against police brutality and the anonymous artist's fifth large-scale work in SF. BiP, which stands for  Believe in People , has painted numerous murals worldwide. His street pieces are often thought-provoking and take inspiration from the local communities where he works.

Ana Martins dabbles in street art. But, unlike other muralists who use spray paint, the lovely Portuguese makes larger-than-life pieces using wool. Yes, the textile fiber obtained from sheep. Also known as Aheneah , the 23-year-old artist manages to recreate the effect of cross-stitching on walls, using hundreds of meters of colored yarn and thousands of metal screws. Ana graduated in 2017 with a degree in graphic design and, according to her website, her main objective is to "deconstruct, decontextualize and transform a traditional technique into a modern graphic, connecting cultures and generations." Below are some shots of the graphic embroiderer's recent cross-stitch project in an old town square in Portugal. Astounding. You can head on over here to see more of Aheneah's work.

Seenaeme is a South Korean artist whose digital illustrations and larger-than-life murals stole my heart due to their vibrant, colorful, and humorous ways. She has pulled off the perfect mix of funny, mysterious, and undeniably adorable within her imagery, which leaves you with a positive vibe that doesn't shake off. The pretty illustrator from Seoul also does pen-and-paper doodles and character design for postcards, magazines, and posters. Her works have been shown in Busan, Dongducheon, Seoul, Hong Kong and Cambodia, and her clients include Supercell, Busan Cultural Foundation, Gyeonggi Museum, Don't Panic, and Agnet89, among others. Follow  Seenaeme on Instagram  for the latest updates on her projects or get a full view of her work over at  seenaeme.net .

Los Angeles based graffiti artist RiskRock recently completed this massive work of art in Ontario, Canada. In partnership with Monster Energy, it took 860 gallons of paint, an army of community supporters, and more than 1,500 of volunteer hours to create the 74,000 square foot mural. This will surely be enjoyed by the local residents for years to come.

If you happen to be in Kaunas, Lithuania and you see a bus painted with vibrant colored patterns and designs, there's a good chance it was done by Artur Shirin. Using a fleet of Škoda trolleybuses, the Lithuanian artist recently finished a series of funky murals that feature some of his signature imagery. It's really refreshing to see a work of art on the side of a bus instead of advertising, and commuters can look forward to their daily journey rather than dreading it. If you like fun, dynamic, colorful, and just plain jaw-dropping good art, check out Artur's website . Found via StreetArtNews

Ryo Ogawa, better known as Roamcouch, recently finished this beautiful art piece in Fukushima. The 43-year-old Japanese street artist spent four days working on the mural and was joined by local kids in spray painting the stars on the side of the windmill. Influenced by manga, Roamcouch is known for his impressive works that can require up to fifty different layers of stencils. Incredibly, each stencil is both hand-drawn and hand-cut by the Gifu native himself. Roamcouch spray-paints on top of each stencil until he gets his desired results. His work has been featured at solo and group exhibitions in Japan, Norway, London, Malaysia, Germany, France, and in the US. In 2014, he opened his first solo show, titled A Beautiful Life , in New York and achieved an amazing feat of selling out the entire collection. Roamcouch has a Facebook page that updates quite often and a website where you can find all his work.

Jose Mertz is someone who doesn't mind breaking out of his comfort zone. The Miami-based visual artist blends the contemporary and the traditional and draws inspiration from science fiction, ancient civilizations and the mystic arts. Whether it's a collaboration with Adidas, a mural for Dr. Smood, or a poster for Pacific Rim: Uprising , Jose seems to approach each project with the same passion. After graduating from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2002, Jose decided to live in New York and studied Zen for several years. During that time he also traveled the world and encountered different people that would eventually inspire his work and change his life. Below are some of my favorites, but you can check out his website and Instagram for more.