A couple of months ago, one of our favorite muralists, Liqen, took part in the Verão é no Porto municipal program organized by PortoLazer organization. Adding his work to the 79 artistic interventions in public space by more than 60 artists, the Galician artist painted his homage to the city.
Titled "Perspéntico" the large mural executed in an alley known as "the smallest street in Porto," depicts a cat carrying buildings on it's back. Seeing this vibrant place as the "cat-city, "a place in movement, the artist also wanted to showcase the importance and strength of nature over man-made creations.
Taking advantage of the unusual placement and limited visibility of the wall, he painted an image of an animal known for its cunningness and curiosity, inviting the viewer to put in a little extra effort in order to enjoy the entire work. Probably due to its peculiar location between densely populated Rúa das Flores and Rúa Mouzinho da Silveira, Liqen decided to go with somewhat simpler image than what we're used to from him. Still adding subtle references to familiar subjects, such as a computer cable in cat's mouth, or a skeleton of a tourist, the artist once again made it clear what his opinions are about the globalization and technological progress. Using only blue paint on white background, his impeccable illustration skills once again came to foreground, while color matching the piece to the aesthetics of traditional Azulejo ceramic tiles seen everywhere in the area. Be sure to check the last image in the gallery, which features the original sketch.—Sasha Bogojev
