Here is a sneak peak of one of the recent mural installations that went down at the “In Situ” Graffuturism walls for Art Basel 2011. West One and Ben Solomon put together a quick video documenting the installation also titled “In situ”. We had some nice action shots of him painting the mural so we deciding to put up this quick preview as well.

West absolutely killed it! It was a pleasure being able to watch the process of him painting in person. Long action oriented brush strokes with rollers and large brushes build the foundation of West’s mural. This process is repeated  layering in and out with smaller brushes and mediums. West creates a sea of color and motion. Rich colors and a heavy texture build a cohesive surface. West paints the mural in the same manner he would any other medium, not worried about the surface it is painted on. Only the image and execution remains key. Utilizing latex paints, mix media, deep oils West creates a large scale installation that not only acts as a mural but a large canvas. His ability to bring studio painting techniques onto an outdoor surface of a wall solidifies a style that remains unbridled. Without worry of rules, or tradition West takes abstraction to another level.

It is refreshing to see an artist with the history and tradition of West push outside his traditional style and engage in a new conversation about our cultures future. Stay tuned we still have our larger feature coming out with a full recap. Special thanks to MTN Colors.

GF