Utopia and smiling faces

trees on sidewalk beside mural on a wall, by Toni Espinar titled the big lie, triptych of consciousness

On Via Regina Margherit in Stornara there is a large mural by Toni Espinar. It’s title is: “La gran mentira” (Triptico de la Consciencia) which translates to “The Big Lie (Triptych of Consciousness). Triptych refers to the fact that the mural is in three sections/scenes, each under its own arch. The arches resemble stonework found in church architecture.

The first frame is dominated by large purple creatures with big white teeth and shiny red eyes. Green biohazard symbols are in their mouths. A gargoyle-like human head with eyes closed is at the top of the arch.

part of toni espinar mural, man's head at top, looking down at mass of purple hairy, or furry, things with big black mouths

Under the word “Utopia” is a very pregnant man with a tattoo that says “Respect” on his tummy. On his shoulder is another tattoo that combines the symbols for male and female. He is looking skyward, or perhaps heavenward. Is there a comparison to Christ that can be made here? Is there a resemblance to how the face of Jesus is often portrayed?

 part of mural, La gran mentira (Triptico de la Consciencia), the word utopia on top, a naked pregnant man covers his breast with one arm.  he has a tattoo on his stomach that is flames with the word respect

hairy gremlins with big ears and impish grins, and happy faces, in a mural

Tiger mom seems to push little tiger son into the boxing ring. The white words above the gremlins say “La grande bugia” which can also translate to “the big lie”. Across the top of the arch it says “cambiare mondo, non follia ma giustizia”, or “change the world, not madness but justice”

 part of mural, La gran mentira (Triptico de la Consciencia)

The chest tattoo is a winged red heart with the equation e=mc2, Einstein’s theory of relativity. There is also a series of keyholes on his chest.

boy tiger with boxing gloves, red heart tattoo on his chest with equation e=mc2, Einsteins theory of relativity

On the far right of the mural, a school of green fish swim together.

Photos taken February 2024

another Stornara selection

With over 130 murals in Stornara, it would be a bit daunting to show them all in one blog post so I have been spreading them out a bit. My previous post showed some murals on Via Don Enrico Tazzoli, ‘A Stornara wall’. The first few pieces in this post is just around the corner from those.

below: Five faces looking at you, by Chekos

mural in black and white, with pattern covering, five female faces, painted by chekos

below: A closer look at the pattern of lines that the artist uses.

close up of part of checkos mural, black and white with line texture, woman's face

below: A skull with geometric shapes, by Manomatic

manomatic painted mural of a skull with geometric shapes and patterns of different colours on the forehead

below: Beside the skull, a child looks out the window.

image of child looking out a window, painted on a wall, beside mural by manomatic of a skull

below: Giovanni Castro’s artwork of seedlings and new plant life.

mural, slightly abstract, of new seedlings growing, showing roots and new leaves, a red line runs randomly across part of it
closer look at the seedlings in Giovanni Castro's mural

below: “Never invisible again”

two children walking together, back to viewer, image in a mural, along with text that says never invisible again

below: “Lupin e Jigen” by The Gaetan, a tribute to gay love. Both are characters from a manga series, Lupin III, first written by Monkey Punch (aka Kazuhiko Katō) in the 1960s. Lupin is a thief and Jigen is one of several of his gang members. Throughout the series, Jigen remains Lupin’s loyal and reliable partner to the end.

mural in pinks and blues of two men, one in a yellow hat who is saying i love you

below: Are those words written across his face in place of his eyes?

closer view of faces in The Gaeten's mural of two men

below: There are a number of pop culture references in Toni Espinar’s ‘Mondo Patetico’ that was panted during el Festival COMIXSTREET de Stornara in 2022

large mural with many figures and elements by Toni Espinar, title is Mondo Patetico which translates to pathetic world
part of mondo patetico mural, clown similar to the one on The Simpsons TV program, also a child with the words Stop War on a bandage across its forehead, and a label on the hair saying victim.  Krusty the Clown is saying tutto e controllato which means everything is checked

part of mondo patetico mural, blond superwoman action hero holding a child, text bubble with a poop emoji in it

below: Nearby, there are a few more walls that were (or could have been) painted during Comixstreet such as this image – she wears Wonder Woman’s clothes but carried Captain America’s shield. It was also painted by The Gaetan.

comic book like character, female captain america, carrying captain america round shield

two buildings across the street from each other in Stornara Italy, both with murals painted on them

below: A couple of “comic book” type illustrations by Devil Art Design

mural by Devil Art Design, painted for comix street festival, comic book characters, man holding woman who has fainted

below: by Kris Rizek “Donatrix (The great red riding hood)” – she carries a basket of spray paint cans to grandma’s house and no wolf is going to stop her!

large mural by Rizek of a woman in dark read hooded cloak, carrying a wicker basket full of spray paint cans