CONVERSE CITY FORESTS
Converse is collaborating with artists in 13 cities around the world to create these giant murals, using a special kind of paint that helps clean the air. One of these murals was created in Warsaw (Poland) and it was designed by me (Maciek Polak) and Dawid Ryski.
The mural was painted by Good Looking Studio using photocatalytic paints.
This technology uses light energy to break down noxious air pollutants and convert them into harmless substances. Any surface coated with this paint becomes an active air-purifying surface that helps protect people from harmful gases.
By painting the wall at the busy Politechnika metro station, we helped plant the equivalent of 780 trees, or 16 soccer fields, a symbol of the air-cleaning power of the mural.
THE ARTISTS
Dawid Ryski is a landscape architect by education, but currently works as an illustrator and graphic designer. Now based out of Puławy, Poland, his style is characterized by geometry, pure forms and architectural elements. For this project, he talks about visual and air pollution in cities: “In my dream future city,” he says, “billboards would disappear, and everybody here would switch from cars to bicycles.”
Maciek Polak, an illustrator, muralist and graphic designer from the small town of Blachownia. The raw style of his work originated from his passion for skateboarding and graffiti. “Working with Dawid has been my dream since childhood, so this was also an opportunity to fulfill my dreams.”
Good Looking Studio are specialists in hand-painted outdoor advertising, artistic murals and wall graphics. They transferred the mural design from the computer screen to a huge wall.
THE ART
Dawid was responsible for the urban aspect of the mural, adding the buildings to the art. He states, “I tried to make sure that these were actually the buildings of the future - as you can see, they are free from billboards - and that Maciek could fit in his plants beautifully.” Maciek incorporated vegetation in the mural, a motif that is very often present in his work. “I think that nature is a perfect inspiration for an artist's work because it has endless possibilities in terms of shapes, colors and forms.”
Looking at the finished mural Dawid says, “My vision of a better future was well reflected on our project. I see it as a symbiosis of the city and nature, complementing each other perfectly.” Maciek agrees. He says, “In my opinion, the final appearance of the mural is delightful. It's all thanks to Good Looking Studio's team, who perfectly reproduced our design on the wall.”
DETAILS
MEDIA
The media around the world wrote about the Warsaw mural and the Converse City Forest campaign. Here are some screenshots from international magazines:
