Lila

Project Details …

• Loc.: Coral Bay, Western Australia
• brush painting
• 3.5m x 2.3m in size
• Acrylic Paint and Final Varnish Gloss Finish
• approx. 100h work time (I guess…)
• semi outdoor (rain protected)

The title ‘Lila’ …

With the title ‘Lila’ I might have named my first project quite abstract. The meaning I refer back to is a word from sanskrit which is used in Hinduism. In english translated ‘the devine play’ it describes the perspective to see the universe in all its appearance as play of form.

Life expresses itself in countless forms which appear and disappear. What I like at that perspective is the light, easy and joyful aspect of life wich allows me to honour and embrace the diversity without falling in a heavy attachment. Furthermore even see my own existence in a light and peaceful way. The mural finally turned out to show such a diversity of individual forms and the reef let you experience it in such a direct way.

Explore the ocean …

The second half of 2019 I was located in Coral Bay. A rural tourist spot 1100km north of Perth in Western Australia. Actual I was on my motorbike trip which started in Melbourne. After 4500km I arrived in Coral Bay on a sunny day (not a rare circumstance). As I was already thinking about a little stay over at a convincing location Coral Bay motivated me for a trial.

I asked the only hostel on place for a work-for-accomandation which I started the next day. After two weeks I slowly came to other causual employments which led to a five months stay!

Coral Bay is a paradise for the exploration of the ocean with a coral reef straight from the beach which allowed me to experience that many new creatures in the wild!

My home during all that time was the hostel. I asked already early if there is any interests in a creative work because the common area seemed perfect to me. Even if the feedback was straight positive the purchase of materials was for me so annoying that the idea got lost in the daily life of a little bit work, a lot snorkling and chilling.

In November I finally decided to leave ‘The Bay’ to sell my motorbike and meet some friends in Perth. It happened that my interest for the mural came back so I told the manager I will check the products in Perth and if the price fits to his demand I will come back for the brush work.

It is clear what happened. I spend a while in Perth and came back to Coral Bay. But this time only as a painter and bon vivant of ‘The Bay’.

Personal …

For now this mural is the most detailed image and it took me a fair amount of time! I have to be honest that I also did not rush to much. On the one hand I had to use the good days for snorkling and kayaking and on the other hand I needed occasionally extra distance from the painting. It took me approximatly a month from the masking tape to the varnish. At the begining I was a bit uncertain if it was a good idea with that whole mural! I realized it was 1.5 years ago I used a brush but after a while all came back and the feeling turned to ‘ it´s gonna be alright’.

I am really happy about the result. Especially in the diversity of the colors as this mural consists only from the primary colors, black and white. Also it was fun to snorkel, see some creatures and decide to add them on the wall.

I recommend you to visit Coral Bay not necessarily to see that mural (hope it gonna last there for a while) but rather to explore the world underneath the surface! I had such an unbelievable time there and I is still a confused feeling of thinking back to that five months of summer, ocean and freinds!