Mural Festival 2024

The 12th edition of the “Mural Festival” will showcase the work of 17 urban artists along the walls of Montréal, including Spanish artists Aryz and Escif.

Aryz

Aryz is a Spanish street artist and illustrator. Born in 1988 in Palo Alto, California, he moved back to Spain at a young age and developed an interest in graffiti. He studied Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona and is known for his large-scale murals, which often depict humans or animals with surreal colors and muted colors.

He emerged as a graffiti artist in the early 2000s, marking abandoned spaces around Barcelona with his signature nickname. His distinctive characters and still lifes found acclaim in the industrial surroundings, propelling his fame globally. Despite leaving his Fine Arts studies incomplete at the University of Barcelona, Aryz received mural commissions from across the world, leaving his mark in countries like Morocco, Japan, and the United States. The book Outdoors (2018) catalogs his public space artwork from 2008 to 2018. Transitioning to studio work in 2019, Aryz presented Pugna, an exhibition exploring human movement and power dynamics, culminating in a show at Nancy’s Beaux-Arts Museum.

He has since developed large-format installations, blending muralism with studio painting, allowing for greater creative freedom. Currently based in Cardedeu, Aryz explores various printing techniques, collaborating with publishers like Polígrafa. His recent series, Vestigio, delves into fragmentation and movement inspired by baroque art.

Escif

Escif, born in Valencia, Spain, in 1980, is a renowned muralist known for his distinctive style and thought-provoking themes. His artwork, characterized by clean lines and muted colors, reimagines urban spaces and addresses pressing contemporary issues such as capitalism, environmental degradation, and social resistance.

While he has created a significant body of work in his hometown of Valencia, Escif has also left his mark on cities worldwide through international projects. His interventions have been featured in esteemed art institutions like the Power Station Museum in Shanghai, the IVAM Museum in Valencia, and the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.

Additionally, he has participated in prestigious events such as the Biennale d’Art Africain Contemporain in Dakar, OFF Manifesta X in Saint Petersburg, Banksy’s “Dismaland project in England, and the Biennale de Lyon in France.