Life on the High Seas
Artist — Claudia Tostes
Participating in this project changed my perception of the ocean. I became more aware of how much cruelty exists at sea. Now I know that not only are there inhumane abuses out there, but also that harmful human activity on the oceans is destroying the natural environment.
What I changed in my artistic process was that beyond emphasizing plants, I was able to highlight exuberant and vulnerable sea creatures. I was able to illustrate that overfishing kills and that nets take lives.
The challenge was striking a balance between showing the beauty of the sea, while also revealing the sea’s tragedies. All the book’s chapters impacted me. I expressed the emotions the book inspired through raw, colorful images.
After completing my mural, I believe public art is on the streets to facilitate communication between cities, countries and a wide range of people. The combination of journalism and art is an effective one, as journalism is essential in the creative process through the story it has to tell, whether good or bad.
MURAL LOCATION — São Paulo, Brazil
Artist Bio —
Cláudia Tostes is an artist originally from Minas Gerais, who currently lives and works in São Paulo, Brazil. An artist focused on environmental issues, she takes pride in painting living things in nature, foliage and plants. She has studied human behavior and has honed in on the expressiveness of art as a powerful mode of communication. In her artistry, she utilizes new and recycled textures, canvas, fabric and wood. Envisioning a brighter world in her art, Tostes breaks through the gray of a hostile urban environment and channels her attentiveness to and affection for the natural world all around us.
Murals added monthly