So remember me telling you about my friend Alexandra del Bene’s crazy and wonderful new mural project the other day? Well, I had to go and see for myself how she was getting on. Turns out I showed up on the first day of actual painting. Previously the walls of these fifteen buildings had been freshly painted white to create her “canvases” and then, for each mural, one of her paintings is projected onto the wall at night (by Alex’s friend Fran), and she traces out the basic outline before starting the actual painting. Seeing it up close like this just floored me. I mean, the amount of work, the fact that Alex will spend all this time up in a cherry picker when it’s 35º in Sevilla… the sheer effort being put into of all this incredible.

The buildings are facing the Port and are mostly house university students. Apparently the paintings should last about four years and, with some upkeep, as long as eight. But what happens after this herculean task is finished is out of Alex’s hands. Apparently it’s also up for a Guinness Record.

Anyhow, I walked over to the site… a good hour’s walk from home (I’m still not using public transit). And I stupidly didn’t leave early enough so I got there when it was already super hot, BUT I also got there when Alex was finishing for the day and so we went out for a beer and a chat. I’ll be keeping an eye on this and visiting during its various stages of completion. But next time will leave early in the morning.

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