Community Mural in Lisbon

“Seeds of our future” is a community mural imagined by me, and conceived by the community. Putting stencils together like pieces of a puzzle, the work emerges organically with unexpected shapes, just like the seeds we plant. 

Made for the Seeds on Wheels event at Quinta do Ferro, a neglected neighbourhood in the heart of Lisbon. The event brought together thinkers, doers, artists and organisations to bring awareness to this space and imagine a way to regenerate the community, through the power of food.

It’s been a recurring theme in my work lately to try to find ways to make the community participate and create in the spaces they inhabit, while making sure the final result is cohesive and beautiful. In this case I wanted to spark some life into this old house, painting it colourfully and providing passers-by the material to co-create the art on the walls. I cut out a series of stencils that could be mixed and matched in original ways that would fit, creating a tiled wall, much like the Portuguese azulejos we see on the streets of Lisbon.

Carefully avoiding the vandalism of Dona Rosa, who didn’t care much to paint within the boundaries I created, instead spraying whatever she felt like. I can just about control children with spray cans, but the older generation really can’t be told what to do.

With the support of Galeria da Arte Urbana, thank you João and the whole team of SOW, plus every person and organisation involved in this event, it is beautiful to see the community show up and care for its spaces and future, even (and especially) when resources are low.