"Cultura"
A few weeks back, I was lucky to be chosen alongside fellow artists for a special project at Blind Walls Open Call's Wallspot in Breda. We worked together for two days, getting guidance from experienced coaches. I got paired up with Bruce Tsai from Opperclaes, who had some really helpful tips for me, especially since it was my first mural in a long while.
A few weeks back, I was lucky to be chosen alongside fellow artists for a special project at Blind Walls Open Call's Wallspot in Breda. We worked together for two days, getting guidance from experienced coaches. I got paired up with Bruce Tsai from Opperclaes, who had some really helpful tips for me, especially since it was my first mural in a long while.
What made this experience even more special was having my biggest fan and supporter, my mom, by my side. She was visiting my sister and me in the Netherlands for the summer, and her involvement in the project meant a lot. Even though I'm used to doing art on my own, sharing this creative journey with my mom turned out to be pretty amazing.
Concept
The theme I picked for the mural was "Cultura," which means culture in my native language, Papiamento. To me, culture is about where you come from, your family, and the places that shape you. I tried to show this in the mural with different styles of writing for each letter. For example, the "C" is shaped like the Coca-Cola logo, a drink I loved as a kid. The "R" comes from the first letter of my family name, and the orange parts in the L and U stand for Love You. Instead of using spray cans, I used a different way of painting to give a nod to traditional methods.
Having my mom help me on this project was an adventure in itself. It was a bit challenging since I'm used to doing things on my own, but it ended up being a really special experience that I'm glad we shared.
A big shoutout goes to the judges, Dennis Elbers (Blind Walls Gallery), Daniël Claessens (ALL-CAPS.NL), and Floor Milou Smit (winner of Open Call 2022), as well as the folks behind The Open Call and Talent Weekend 2023—thank you to the Municipality of Breda and the Mondriaan Fund for the support.
Huge thanks to Rob Lipsius and Joost van Asch for the awesome photos capturing the journey!
