The French duo Ella et Pitr spent recently 10 days hanging in the air in order to paint this amazing new giant on the wall of an abandoned dam, located in the Valley of the Gier, Loire, near Saint-Étienne,where they live and work.
Entitled “Le naufrage de Bienvenue” (The Sinking of Welcome) and curated by Galerie Le Feuvre, the new mural stretches through the 47 meters high wall. The wall took 10 days to complete and required special equipment. Before starting, the duo had to learn how to move while hanging from a rope, climb, rappel and paint at the same time. They also made use of a special paint and an environmentally friendly protective device were used.
The work was commissioned by Saint-Etienne Métropole as part of a project dedicated to increase the ‘attractiveness’ of the region. The new giant is currently visible from the hiking trail nearby and will be officially unveiled in occasion of the European Heritage Days on September 15, 16 and 17.
As usual, Ella & Pitr use their art to highlight important social and political issues with the charm of a storytelling book. The new piece isn’t an exception, making a clear reference to the current migrant crisis, how millions of people are being forced to leave their homes, their country in search for a safe harbour, and how they have finally been abandoned and mistreated by our governments.
Photo © Ella & Pitr – Courtesy Galerie Le Feuvre
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Author: Fran
Founder and editor of Urbanite. Street Art lover who after the finishing her MA thesis on the Mexican and Norwegian muralist movement in the 1920-50s, developed a fascination for street art and graffiti that eventually led to collaborations with different art blogs, including the creation of this one.
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