Photo by Ola Kalnins
A new mural has sprouted up in Greenpoint, adding a dash of color to an otherwise run-of-the-mill street corner in Brooklyn. The piece is the brainchild of Malmö-based street artist, Ola Kalnins, who was commissioned for the project as part of the programming for Swedish Design Moves New York and Archtober. It now decorates the facade of a four story building located on the intersection of Manhattan and Greenpoint Avenues. The entire painting process, which spanned the course of eight days, was documented in the time lapse video below:
In the video, Kalnins states that the piece was created specifically for this house, which is situated in a heavily foot-trafficked area. Because of the size of the canvas, and the fact that a skylift had to be utilized, it was also one of the hardest projects for him physically to complete:
Photo by Calleck
Photo by Calleck
“Usually I can sketch a form quite quickly and easily because I am on my feet,” said Kalnins of the painting process. “This time, the sketch took longer than usual as I had to move the skylift 2-3 times to complete form. This was physically challenging because the skylift compromised my body language. Keeping the flow alive was difficult since I couldn’t rely on my movement alone, but in the end I managed to. I’ve certainly grown as an artist with this project.”
Photo by Calleck
Photo by Ola Kalnins
Another mural by Ola Kalnins, seen by Untapped Cities contributor, Jeff Reuben, in Malmö, Gamla Väster
Though laborious, Kalnins efforts have certainly not gone unnoticed: “To see something so beautiful — just for a moment, it takes away from the monotony of life,” said the building’s owner, Peter Kirchhausen.
Next, check out 17 Art Installations and Exhibits Not to Miss in NYC This December.
