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This September, GOB Menorca has unveiled at its headquarters a mural by urban artist Anna Repullo Vique. The artwork, which decorates the inner courtyard entrance of Molí del Rei, is a visual perspective on the history and work of the environmental organisation. It directly conveys to visitors both the historic struggle of the organisation and of Menorcan society in defence of the natural environment, as well as its current work in the face of the challenges that the island is experiencing today, in a context of environmental crisis and increasing tourist saturation.
Interested in capturing special moments, gestures or human attitudes that express emotions and feelings that engage the viewer, Anna Repullo Vique (Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Barcelona, 1990) holds a degree in Fine Arts and is a painter. Repullo focuses her professional artistic activity mainly on mural art. We spoke with her about the compositional and format conditions of this pictorial commission, her inspiration and communicative intention, the project’s challenges and the role of mural art.
The vertical format and the location in this enclosed courtyard condition the spectator’s gaze. This can be both a limitation (in terms of creation and execution) and an opportunity. How did you approach as an artist a work so determined by its architectural context?
On one hand there are the elements that Sergi Marí, coordinator of GOB Menorca, told me you wanted to be represented; I also wanted to include a little bit of everything, based on key elements in the organisation’s work. Since it is a vertical mural, it gave me the chance to present it as if it were different steps, where there are marine, terrestrial, social, landscape, fauna and flora references, but also animal care, protest and demonstration… A bit of everything.
What narrative of GOB Menorca’s history did you want to convey through the images?
I wanted to represent GOB’s historic struggle, considering a timeline, but placing it in the present. I must admit that at first I didn’t know much about it. I have been living here for almost four years, but I am Catalan. Román, my partner, is Menorcan; he told me that you are amazing and that you have fought a lot!…
I was very excited that GOB thought of me, especially because I think that here it is difficult to support mural art.
In today’s context, what role do you think art in general and mural art in particular can play in social and environmental communication?
What is visual is super direct, and I think it is very good that art is not only in galleries and museums —the typical— but that it can be found in the street and speak to us about the territory and culture of a place, addressing social and reivindicative issues.
Urban art, fortunately, is booming in many places, perhaps not yet in Menorca… but I hope it will be so here too in the future, and that soon there will be more… I would be delighted!
If you would like to admire GOB Menorca’s new mural, you can visit Molí del Rei from Monday to Thursday, from 9 am to 2:30 pm and from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, and on Fridays from 9 am to 2:30 pm.
