The Polish duo ETAM Cru was recently in Sweden, invited to take part of the OpenArt biennale, currently taking place in the city of Övrebo until September 10th.
Known for their epic murals of monumental dimensions, ETAM Cru, which consists of street artists Sainer and Bezt, create stunning murals rich in Eastern European mysticism and folkloric symbolism, but also that playing with humour, sarcasm and surrealism.
As part of this year’s OpenART biennale, they created a piece that seems to mismatch a bit the festive air of the event. Titled “Melancholia”, the new and stunning mural features the image of a woman whose body language expresses sadness or affliction for something. While sitting, she rests her forehead on the palm of her left hand, the right hand across her body. We all know this posture don’t we? The detailed depiction of the woman is set against a rather abstract background where a big bright blue shape seems to contrast with the woman’s body, painted in a delicate palette of pinks and browns. Surrounding the lower part of the mural, and the woman’s body, we see the same kind of abstract tendencies that certainly help to highlight and isolate the figure of our character.
A truly beautiful piece that speaks about one of the probably the most existentialistic feelings ever, melancholy which, unlike sadness, gives room to inner beautification, an aesthetic experience that robes the world and everything in it for meaning, but at the same time creates something completely new within us. A creative force, a muse.
About ETAM CRU
Polish street artists Sainer and Bezt, collectively known as Etam Cru, create murals of epic proportions, often spanning entire high-rise buildings. Both graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź and work today between murals and exhibitions.Figurative and wistful with a strong element of fantasy and oozing with colour, their art evokes an interior landscape rich in possibilities. Seeped in Eastern European mysticism and folklore, Etam Cru love playing around with humour, sarcasm and not least, Surrealism. They have created works all over the world and have become regular guests at international street art festivals and events.
More on Urbanite | Sainer instagram | Bezt instagram | Facebook | Website
Images by Sofie Isaksson courtesy of OpenArt. Thanks!
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.
