Italian street artist Millo is currently in Ukraine where he recently created a new mural for the Mural Social Club: Back to School! project curated by French artist and social activist Julien Malland and Oleg Sosnov from Ukraine with the support of UNICEF Ukraine and Sky Art Foundation.
Titled ‘The Power of Imagination’ and painted on one of the exterior walls wall of the Kremenchuk juvenile penitentiary, the new mural intends to open the inmates mind and incentivize them to improve their artistic skills and creativity. Millo’s mural depicts a boy is sitting on a self-made wooden plane. The fact that it is a self-made plane intends to emphasise the idea that a child’s fantasy is unlimited and that there are no restrictions for what they can become if they really work for it. It’s all about making your dreams come true.
The detention facility in Kremenchuk is a special place, where juveniles that have committed different crimes, live and study temporarily as they develop life skills and prepare for adult life outside the walls of the penitentiary. The power of imagination becomes then essential for the teenagers inner growth. Millo explains the importance of imagination in our lives as follows:
“The power of imagination is a key to never stop dreaming and encouraging the development of our own potential. The power of imagination is that force, that guides us to follow our inner dreams and having trust in the possibilities of life. I create this wall with the aim of giving hope and strength to all of those are leaving a difficult journey” – Millo.
The project aims to bring more colour to the everyday life of the inmates with the help of street art. The artworks, especially those created by internationally renowned artists, encourage and inspire them not only to paint but also to develop their creativity and imagination in other aspects of life.
About the project
Mural Social Club is an International Festival of Contemporary Art in the public space with the mission to make art accessible for everybody. By supporting social and cultural initiatives of residents of different cities they aim to promote a decentralisation of the urban culture of the country through the creation of artworks on the outskirts of the capital, as well as in smaller towns.
This year’s festival has been curated by French street artist and activist Julien Malland aka Seth Globepainter, who along with Oleg Sosnov, managed to curate an exciting line-up including top street art names from Italy, Spain, USA, Ukraine, Portugal, France, Russia, Chile, Peru, Brazil, all of whom are coming to Ukraine to decorate the cities with their artwork. Apart from murals and installations, Mural Social Club Festival also sees a number of indoor exhibitions, as well as an extensive educational program featuring workshops and seminars by renowned street artists.
The festival is organised and initiated by NGO Sky Art Foundation. More info on: skyartfound.com
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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.
