The Reykjavik Grapevine | Australian Artist Reclaims Reykjavík’s Rough Walls
Australian artist Guido Van Helten rides up a construction lift at Seljavegur 2 to meet his canvas. The wall he paints is old and slightly corroded, two stories high and the west facing part of a building that once used to be a theatre but is now an industrial workspace. With his can of Spanish Montana brand spray paint, he creates the outline of a grey eye, and the image of a woman’s face, her vintage dress and the man she dances with begin to blossom in proportion to it. If a static image can be said to look fluid, Guido’s murals appear to swoop and fall with each soft layer of spray paint he adds, bringing the wall and his photo-inspired works to life.