Italian artist Fabio Petani just painted a new mural in Kiev honoring Ukraine. The mural was part of the international project Art United Us and was curated by Geo Leros and Iryna Kanishcheva.

About The Mural

Originally titled ‘флуор‘ (meaning Fluorine), Fabio Petani’s mural is composed by two conceptual parts which refer to two elements : Fluorine and Malva Sylvestris. Malva is a typical plant from Ukraine and Fluorine is the 9th chemical element that was discovered in 1886, the same year the daylight saving time was not observed in the country. Fluorine also refers to the flow of light in Latin.

The composition runs around the central circle part where the artist painted the malva flower. One can observe a mix of layers which gives the painting many dimensions. All is inverted: the plant is black and all the other elements in color create a small world where the plant changes form. Blue and yellow are predominantly used as a way to pay a tribute to Ukraine and connect with the population. The mural is subtly balanced between black and colors, geometric elements and lettering.

About The Artist

Fabio Petani was born in Pinerolo, Italy in 1987 and still lives and works there. He received an M.A. in Cultural Heritage from the University of Turin and focused his M.A. thesis on urban art and culture. He then became a member of the cultural association ‘Il Cerchio e le Gocce’, created in 2001. The artist’s murals often feature organic forms or elements from the periodic table. He is also used to play with contrasts between colors and different geometric forms.

About Art United Us

Art United Us is an international project aiming to unite the world through art and raising public awareness so as to reduce global tensions. The project is to paint 200 walls in two years, starting from Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, and then expanding their field of action in the world. The goal is not just about producing a series of murals, but instead, the creation of an entire new history.

Images by Iryna Kanishcheva


Fabio Petani: facebook | instagram
Art United Us: web | facebook

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