i'm having some serious building love with this church mural installation by atlanta-based artist hense (real name: alex brewer), a graffiti-turned-contemporary artist who is transforming neighborhoods one building at a time. as part of a private commission in washington dc, hense used a historic church as an extremely oversized canvas for his colorful, abstract compositions. his shapes are textures are gestural, leaving meaning up for interpretation, while the vibrant hues create a playful mood. living in the mission district in san francisco, one of the most heavily-muraled places i've seen, i know what a positive impact these public pieces of art can have on a community and its people, so it makes me happy to know that somebody else is spreading the love on such a large scale! learn more about hense here.
i'm in love with escif, a street artist based in valencia, spain, whose highly illustrative style puts him more into the category of mexican muralists than it does of classic graffiti. his striking use of muted color, black space, composition, and repeating symbols and characters becomes so recognizable that his work itself becomes his tag. no matter how big or small, his style undeniably comes through. what i love most about his paintings are how simple and restrained they are while having such a powerful impact on the space in which they inhabit, each one evoking a mood that is open to interpretation by the viewer. he has more amazing work than i can begin to cover here, so check out his full collection of paintings on his flickr page. i'm dying to go to valencia now just to experience all of these in person!
