Alejandro Hugo Dorda Mevs, better known as Axel Void, was until recently in Cologne, Germany for this year’s CityLeaks festival where he painted this rather claustrophobic piece.
‘Gray’ could reminds us of the pieces exhibited a couple of months ago at BC Gallery in Berlin (“Sehnsucht”) except for one little detail. Unlike the “Sehnsucht” paintings, which were also unpleasant, but where the subjects didn’t seem distressed or appear to suffer any pain, the head of the person depicted in this mural has been covered by a thick grey plastic bag, keeping his or hers identity hidden from us. The scene is not only unpleasant, but at some point terrifying. We have no idea of what is going on under this rather suffocating mask.
Whatever the meaning of this new mural is, the title Gray also applies to a series of works by Axel Void that portray everyday life, instinctive and visceral ideas, that don’t necessarily fits into their physical context, just like the one e see here, visceral, raw and enigmatic.
Author: Fran
Founder and editor of Urbanite. Street Art lover who after the finishing her MA thesis on the Mexican and Norwegian muralist movement in the 1920-50s, developed a fascination for street art and graffiti that eventually led to collaborations with different art blogs, including the creation of this one.
