MURAL BY MANTRA IN LITTLE ROCK
Public Art
Client: OZ Art - ARkanvas
Location: Little Rock and Bentonville, Arkansas
Artists: Mantra
Service: Concept, Location scouting, Curation, Development and Production
Mantra completed two larger-than-life trompe l’oeil butterfly specimen case murals in Little Rock and Bentonville for ARkanvas, a statewide engagement curated by Justkids and commissioned by local art organization, OZ Art.
Always spectacularly beautiful and scientifically accurate to the last detail, Mantra’s site-specific piece The Nine is located in the heart of Downtown Little Rock, right at the entrance of The River Market, and is visible from miles around. A selection of the nine most emblematic Arkansas butterflies can be seen; including Parhassius, Cupido, Celastrina, and Lycaena, which he depicts as lifeless specimens displayed in a cracked Entomology case; a heartbreaking comment on endangered species and lost biodiversities.
The Nine is also a tribute to the historically famous Little Rock Nine, a group of nine courageous black students who in 1957 enrolled in the racially segregated Little Rock Central High school, drawing national attention to the civil rights movement at the time. Today, The Nine sends a message of unity and tolerance.
Not long after his mural in Little Rock, Mantra completed a second art piece in Bentonville’s town square. The artist transformed the 21c Museum Hotel into another gigantic broken Entomology box, masterfully enclosing the collection of insects inside the cracked glass as if to illustrate a potential escape, bringing a colorful and eye-catching slice of nature to the city.
A giant lime-green colored winged creature will have you wondering, “what’s that bug”?… It’s actually a Luna Moth, found only in North America and very popular in The Natural State.
“I have always wanted to find my place in the global society. Painting murals internationally has allowed me to get in touch with communities, appreciate different cultures, languages and connect beyond borders. Despite the current situation, in turn, I get to create public art for all to enjoy”.