The annual Wool Urban Art Festival is nestled in the central Portugal town of Covilhã and brings to life large scale murals and exhibitions for attendees to enjoy. This years’ installment included a tribute mural by Roc Blackblock about a tragic fire in Pedrógão Grande that happened last June and resulted in 64 deaths and 134 injuries.
About the Mural
In remembrance to this sad event and homage to the work of the firefighters, the Wool Urban Art Festival of Covilhã’s organization proposed to make an intervention in the fire station of the city to show the gratitude and respect from the community to the Fire brigade.
Roc Blackblock created a truly breathtaking piece that seems like a photograph come to life. At the top of the mural, we see hyper realistic imagery of a forest set ablazed and two firefighters working to put it out. The hues of red, orange and green Roc used truly makes this a beautiful piece, despite signifying a devastating incident. At the bottom of the wall, we see a black and white image of a fire truck- an emblem of the firefighters that continue to work diligently to ensure the safety of the Pedrógão Grande community.
About Roc Blackblock
Roc Blackblock is a Barcelona based artist that started painting graffiti in 1999. Since then, he’s evolved his technique to become specialized in stencil work. Stencils as it’s his preferred medium to create in.
He’s also an active member of social movements and uses street art as a way to participate and spread awareness about globalization, politics, racism, among other issues facing the nation.
Roc Blackblock: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Wool Urban Art Festival: Website | Facebook | Instagram
