Judith de Leeuw (JDL) – a well-known Dutch street artist who’s art appeared all over the world – has unveiled her imposing new 40-metre mural entitled “Icarus”, created for the Street Art for Rights Forum Festival on the north-east wall of the Corviale building in Rome, the famous “Serpentone”, one of the “most symbolic” walls in the capital. 

She has chosen to raise awareness of the current environmental issue for Street Art for Rights Forum Festival, exploring with her work the self-destructive tendency of modern society to overstep the boundaries of nature.

On this wall JDL depicts two women: one covered in oil plunges into the void, the other one struggles, managing to free herself and regain her freedom by flying. The woman on the left becomes a symbol of the many birds that get caught in the oil at sea because of man’s fault; the one on the left, on the other hand, represents those who make it through, with strength and tenacity.

A work that becomes an omen for the future and a symbol of hope for the Corviale district and for everyone. The artist also chose not to erase some inscriptions created by residents of the neighborhood, placed at the base of the large building, in the realization of her work. A clear signal of keeping alive the link with the territory, without wanting to ‘distort’ the popular soul of Corviale.

This new masterpiece – on one of the city’s largest walls – bears a reference to the myth of Icarus. Icarus is the man who, heedless of his own limitations, flew too close to the sun with wax wings and fell into the sea. A metaphor for a profit-blinded society that is heading for self-destruction, aiming to have the most today, heedless of the future. 

Work on the art wall began last 15 December, and after more than a month of effort amidst frost and rain, Corviale is now the site of one of the city’s largest and most significant works realized by JDL. It must be noted that street artists Spike, Smok, Marqus, Boogie, Joys and the stainless team of Street Art for Rights, offered operational support.

The JDL wall will have a temporary lifespan of about two years: during this time, however, before it is destroyed, it will be transformed into an NFT, so that it can still continue to be visible and live online in the digital world of the blockchain. The proceeds from the sale of the work will be donated to various charities working in the same neighborhood.

JDLstreetart.com

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