ARYZ x Emblem125

To say that Aryz is one of the biggest names in street art worldwide might actually be a bit of an understatement. The art magazine Juxtapoz has called his murals “game-changing” and Street Art News says “he’s one of the most talented artists working in the field of Urban Art.”

The Catalan muralist born Octavi Serra Arrizabalaga in Palo Alto, California has his roots in the Barcelona graffiti scene and has evolved his work into a striking contemporary style that practically demands a large format like public art. This mural – well, really two murals – at the Emblem 125 complex in Providence’s Innovation District represents a major new contribution to the body of public art in the Creative Capital.

The two parts of this mural, taken as a whole, represent the industrialization of Providence and the workers who made it possible. The vertical panel, approximately 60 feet high, depicts a “Goddess of Work,” with one hand made of stone holding a sledgehammer. The horizontal section, spanning roughly 100 feet, shows seven workers in various uniforms, both men and women, pulling a rope together. “They’re all pulling in the same direction. Because if we don’t all pull together, things can’t happen,” Aryz told the Boston Globe.

The design takes advantage of the size and location of the walls, as well as the layout of the building, to present two murals as part of a cohesive whole. Aryz painted a piece with more movement on the horizontal wall, which works almost like a pattern. The vertical wall, more immediately visible from the street level, works as a point of attention for the pedestrian.

Aryz chose the palette and the compositional displacement to increase the viewers' sensation of movement and attract the eye to create a truly striking artwork. The desaturated colors help the mural blend seamlessly with the surrounding brick, creating the effect of a brand new work that looks as if it’s been there for years.

The concept is based on Aryz’s research about Providence and the Emblem 125 site. He and his studio assistants learned that the Industrial Revolution came to Providence through the textile, jewelry and machinery industries, with trains, the port and the factories all playing key roles. The intent is not to highlight one industry in particular, but to represent work more generally and the many trades that built this city and its industrial economy over many generations.

"The idea is to make a representation where you can read the hard years of the construction of a 'modern' city from scratch, representing all the anonymous workers who built it, representing the American Industrial Revolution and the workers in their labors,” Aryz explains.

About the Artist

Often painting in abandoned factories early in his career, Aryz seamlessly transitioned to large-scale building façades in cities from Madrid to Tokyo to San Francisco.

His murals often depict human and animal figures, creating surreal tableaus where bones and organs are frequently as visible as emotions. His dreamy color palettes can be vivid, but also take on a muted tone that makes them feel oddly natural in the cityscape, as if they just organically appeared there.

Highly sought after and very specific about the projects he chooses, Aryz’s interest in a Providence-based project with The Avenue Concept represented a rare and unique opportunity to bring this master to the Creative Capital. This mural will enhance the city’s reputation as an international destination for public art, along with other cities that host his murals, including Oslo, Norway; Arles, France; Kiev, Ukraine and Chongqing, China. In the U.S., the nearest Aryz murals are in Detroit and Richmond, Virginia.

Medium: C2 Paint, Montana Gold Spray Paint

Local artist assistance by: Ryan Richardson, Look Alive Signs.

Videos and Images: Chop 'em Down Films

Sponsor Partners: Emblem 125, Adler's Design Center & Hardware for providing paint and color expertise, and Hilton Providence for hosting the artists and filmmakers.

~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~

How tall do you think this wall is? (100’)

How tall do you think the vertical panel is? (approx. 60')

What do you think is happening in this picture?

What is your favorite color in the mural?