Parc des Bruyères - Les Lilas, France 2011

Speedy Graphito's mural in Parc des Bruyères, France, is a wild, colourful explosion, probably made with spray paint. It's all about the immediacy of the gesture, that quick burst of energy from the can to the wall. Look at how the lines wiggle and dance. There's something almost cartoony about the thick black outlines and the bright, saturated colours. The red is so bold, and the pink and yellow just pop against that rough, textured surface. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving, spraying, correcting, layering. It’s a messy, physical process right there on the wall. It makes me think of Keith Haring, that same kind of raw, street-level energy. This piece isn’t precious, or trying to be perfect, and like all great painting, it makes me want to grab some paint and start making a mess myself. The beauty of art is that it's always sparking a conversation.