Lisbon walls have been invaded by a gang of sweets like ice cream, lollipops, sugary cakes, and cookies. Street artist Maria Imaginário (Imaginary Mary) is a passionate Lisbon lover and wanted to make it prettier. She decided to embrace a project called ‘Dellicious,’ [sic] in which she paints her gooey graffiti on abandoned or ruined buildings and boring walls that are in desperate need of a facelift.
Maria Imaginário also does illustration work; naïve and witty, her cutesy palette is often subverted by some of the themes. Her humor kind of reminds me of some of the scatological humor of ‘The Ren & Stimpy Show.’
She has already done an exhibition called ‘Lar doce Lar’ (Home sweet Home), in which paintings and illustrations filled the walls of an imaginary house created within the gallery space. In her own words, it was “The house of a very, very old lady, that is crazy about ice-creams.” You can see the exhibit here.
Maria Imaginário also raised some political questions. In 2008, she painted on a separation wall in Bethlehem, Palestine. There, you can see a heart being hurt by a bulldozer. Check out the video!
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Gooey Graffiti
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the use of edible materials in graffiti art to create interactive and sensory experiences.
- Whimsical Illustration
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Combine playful illustrations with thought-provoking themes to create engaging and memorable visual narratives.
- Artistic Activism
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Use public art as a powerful medium to raise awareness and spark conversations about political and social issues.
Where This Applies
- Street Art
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop sustainable and eco-friendly materials for street artists, reducing the environmental impact of graffiti.
- Art Exhibitions
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate augmented reality technology into art exhibitions to create immersive and interactive experiences for visitors.
- Artistic Activism
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with artists and activists to create large-scale public art installations that bring attention to important causes and inspire social change.
