“El Entreacto” by ARYZ in Mannheim, Germany

“What the lion represents in my mural I will leave up to the viewer to interpret. Sometimes their interpretations are even better than mine”. A comment from the celebrated Spanish mural artist ARYZ, as he reflects on his finished mural entitled “El Entreacto” at the end of seven days of painting at Stadt.Wand.Kunst in Mannheim Germany. The mural which is intense and engaging opened the 2022 SWK mural season and set the bar high from the beginning for those artists coming up after him.

Sometimes their interpretations are even better than mine
The mural features a reclining lion in complementary colors. But not in a way that could make the artwork seem obvious or predictable. A diverse array of surface covering and mark-making ranges from color fields to hectic linework that elude to giant scribbles. Tonal variations suggest the profound skills that ARYZ cleverly mixes with graphic representations. All spread over the last three of a four-story building that seems to be protected by the regal reclining beast, with its paw securely holding a globe-like sphere in position.

ARYZ himself was unaware of the significance of the lion

ARYZ, who is not one to “overcook the brew” kept his idea, and the direction of the mural, fresh and unpreditable by creating the sketch for the mural a day in advance. Over one intense week, the mural came to life with just the right amount of conscious direction and plenty of accidental success. But there no accidents here as the viewer is easily convinced that every mark or color is consciously placed. With perfect weather and plenty of fascinated onlookers, ARYZ himself was unaware of the significance of the lion for both the city of Mannheim and the state of Baden-Württemberg. Featured on the coat of arms for both entities, the lion was fast at home in its new surroundings of color, visual plantlife, and artistic experimentation.

This freshly completed ARYZ mural makes it appear as if the Montana Cans supported Stadt.Wand.Kunst, has hit the ground running for the 2022. And why not, the SWK team has managed to feature some of the world’s best mural artists while gathering experience, momentum, and international recognition from the international street art community over the last decade. An achievement and a playing field that is just right for an artist the caliber of ARYZ, who himself is no stranger to the main stage of the international mural making. Not to mention his achievements in the fine art space with his innovative studio and gallery works.

If you are ever in the neighborhood of Mannheim Germany, you can find the ARYZ mural at A4,1 in all its glory. Looking across its territory, making sure that everything is under control.

Check out below for more photos of the mural.