A few years ago someone had the bright idea of inviting a group of 10 urban artists to give life and colour to the 1,400 square metre wall of the Lionesa factory complex in Leça do Balio, home to Unicer (maker of Super Bock) and other companies. The wall mural is the largest of its kind in Northern Portugal. Even if you don’t speak Portuguese, it’s worth running this page by Arquitetura Portuguesa through a translator for a primer on the project. The collective art follows a theme: to depict the area’s connection to the sea, through each of the artists.
Mural da rua da Lionesa on Facebook.
The artists: Caos, Distopia, Draw, MAR, Mário Belém, Mr Dheo, Nomen, Ram, Third, Utopia
This mural proved a challenge to photograph quickly. I chose to make a video instead, with Paulo acting as chauffeur and driving in the wrong lane so I could capture more of the wall. A few passes and false starts later, here are two videoclips — one in each direction.
About the colourful Mercedes: the plate says “Mr.Dheo 2011”, but I can’t find anything about it online. It may have originated in another spot and moved here, but I have yet to find out. Here’s an Ice the Dog version of this picture.
July 16, 2016
Album: Portugal [Summer 2016]
