Macae, Brazil 2011

Speedy Graphito made this large-scale mural in Macae, Brazil, using paint to transform an industrial building into a vibrant canvas. The dynamic colours and bold lines grab your attention, but it’s the artist’s process that really speaks to me. Graphito layers colours with precision, creating a texture that is both smooth and energetic. The shapes seem to dance across the surface, each line and curve carefully considered. Just look at that eye! The hand framing it really brings a kind of questioning of the relationship between observer and observed to the fore. It’s like the artist is thinking through paint, figuring out how to capture a feeling or idea in real time. In some ways, Graphito reminds me of Keith Haring, someone else who used simple forms and bright colours to communicate complex ideas. Ultimately, this work reminds us that art is a conversation, a dialogue between artists across time and space, always open to new interpretations.