Ecole Romain Rollan - Les Lilas, France 2011

Speedy Graphito made this mural at Ecole Romain Rollan in Les Lilas, France, and it looks like they used spray paint. I imagine the artist with cans of spray paint in each hand, building up layer upon layer of color. What a joy! The whole thing fizzes with the artist's energy. Look at that background! A riot of blues and pinks, yellows and greens, all swirling together. I wonder if Speedy Graphito was thinking about cartoons and childhood dreams when they made this. You can almost feel them reliving their childhood as they painted it, channeling that same playful spirit. It makes me think about the legacy of Pop Art and the way we carry those images around in our heads. It reminds me of Kenny Scharf’s joyful murals too. Ultimately, artists are always building on what came before, riffing on each other's ideas. So, what do you think?