Marija Tiurina’s Vibrant and Relatable Murals Foreground Community and Care

Marija Tiurina likens the experience of working on murals to “the feeling of conquering a giant and befriending something way beyond your own size.” The Netherlands-based illustrator (previously) has worked on myriad projects ranging from watercolors to puzzles to stereograms, and for the past several years, large-scale wall pieces have grown into a significant facet of her practice, which centers around the maxim that art should be available to everyone.

Continuing themes present in her smaller works, Tiurina addresses self care, mental health, and other relatable topics. “The mural I did in Carballo, Spain, drew attention to a refugee crisis and an evergreen issue of having a home or a community,” she tells Colossal. In St. Malo, France, a tall, vertical painting of a flower getting some TLC brightened the facade of a local community center. “I wanted my piece to be full of warmth and cosiness, as well as carry a surreal and whimsical vibe, as caring for yourself and others is a really magical act, and it can help the world heal,” she says.

Tiurina approaches each project with an open mind, trusting her intuition to guide the final composition. “Every wall has character and unique features, and one can never be fully ready for the challenge, as each mural is a venture outside the comfort zone,” she says. “Only by diving into the unknown can the artist adapt to the new setting and the conditions that vary with each location and tune to each wall differently. There’s never such a thing as the same two mural painting experiences, which makes it really appealing to me.”

Tiurina recently joined Palette Stars, a collective of European street and mural artists, and she looks forward to pursuing projects alongside new collaborators. Find more on the artist’s website and Behance, and follow her on Instagram for updates.

 

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