
Lord Byron of street artist Cacao Rocks adorns a building in Psyrri.
Street artist Cacao Rocks is the creator of another mural inspired by the 1821 War of Independence as part of the public art murals program of the Municipality of Athens. The famous artist created an impressive portrait of the Philhellene poet Lord Byron in the context of giving prominence to intellectuals and scholars, whose actions made the Greek struggle for freedom known beyond the borders of Greece. It is a large-scale mural completed in December 2021, adorning a building wall at the junction of Tombazi and Leocharous Streets in Psyrri.
Cacao Rocks, commenting on his work, stated: “I am very grateful to the Municipality of Athens for its inspiration and contribution to the realization of this project. Through this program, we are creating a modern monument dedicated to philhellenism, honouring Lord Byron, who gave his life for Greece and freedom“.
To create his mural, the artist used a style reminiscent of the modernist paintings of the previous century, leaving the figurative part of the composition on a second level and creating a pop painting version of the bust of Lord Byron.
“The Municipality of Athens will continue introducing contemporary art to the urban landscape, implementing a dynamic public murals program in the new year. Through this “open” form of art, our goal is to introduce more colour, beauty and quality to public space, focusing not only on the city centre but on the neighbourhoods too“, stressed the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, in a statement.
The program, implemented by Culture is Athens, is part of the 3-year project of the Municipality of Athens, aiming to upgrade, promote and integrate the city’s cultural fabric, and support artists and workers in the cultural sector. The project, in the context of which a total of seven wall paintings were completed, was designed and supervised by Katerina Koskina, art historian and Advisor to the Mayor of Athens in the field of Culture.
The public art murals were realized with the support of the Greek Vechro and Flame paint companies and LIFO Magazine as a communication sponsor.
Web: www. cityofathens. gr