“The Giant” or “Gigante” is a very colourful, 24m-high mural on the wall of a New York School. The brainchild of Brazilian artists Os Gemeos and graffiti legend Futura, the mural brings a message of international unity.
The yellow character’s pants are adorned with the flags of various countries from around the globe. Os Gemeos says: “We are using different flags painted with non-traditional colours. The idea is ‘one world one voice’, no borders, no separation, just everything and everyone working together for a single cause that is a better world.”
Inspiring and enriching creative communities throughout New York is what the project hopes to facilitate, says Alan Benedikt of creative studio AKANYC, who drove the project. Hopefully the “Gigante” will lead to a regular series of large murals in New York.
Completion of the project in mid-August 2010 coincided with the World Basketball Festival. The project was also supported by Nike, paint company MTN Colors and street art website 12ozProphet.
