French street artist Nerone has created the UK's largest clean-air mural in Southampton. Painted on The Bulb, a new hub for the STEM community, the piece shows a woman covered in colorful flowers. And best of all, the nearly 11,000-square-foot mural is not only aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally friendly.
To create his masterpiece, Nerone used Graphenstone CO2-absorbing paint. The lime-based paint naturally absorbs CO2 as it cures, and Nerone estimates that it will pull about 145 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air annually. That's the equivalent of about three mature trees.
In terms of the subject matter, the piece is a continuation of other portraits Nerone has painted. It features his fiancée Frankie, who has also appeared in his murals in South Korea, Colombia, France, and Turkey. This is the second time she's appeared in a mural in the UK, as Nerone also used her as his muse for a mural in London.
Covered in colorful flowers, she brightens up the environment and transforms this concrete office building into a joyful site. It was important for Nerone to add some color to the space, as the building is clearly visible from nearby Southampton station.
It took 17 days for the French artist and a team from Lawless Studios to complete the piece. The community was also highly involved, thanks to a series of community events and workshops that ran concurrently. And while it was hard work, Nerone is pleased with the outcome.
“It would be amazing that people realize we can do beautiful things,” Nerone says, “bringing a positive message while we preserve and improve our environment.”
French street artist Nerone completed an 11,000-square-foot mural in Southampton, UK.
Created using lime-based paint, it will absorb an estimated 145 pounds of CO2 annually.
It took the artist 17 days, together with a team, to complete the environmentally friendly mural.
