This incredibly realistic bookcase graffiti mural that takes up the entire side of a building even features a Playboy bunny book.
The idea to create the giant book cabinet came from graffiti artist ‘Jan Is De Man’, an alias of Jan Heinsbroek.
Together with fellow artist ‘Deef Feed’, who Jan also runs a tattoo shop with, they set off to create the cabinet on the outer wall of a three-floor-high house in Utrecht, a city in the central province of Utrecht of the Netherlands.
With the permission of the building’s owner and even a subsidy from the municipality to bring more colour to the neighbourhood, the two first thought about something more simple such as a large yellow-and-black smiley.
Jan said: “But I thought that was too simple. A book cabinet is much cooler, it really adds something to the neighbourhood.”
They set off asking all neighbours what their favourite books are so they could include it on the shelves.
Jan said: “Inhabitant Melanie Dogan, who lives in the building of the mural, knows a lot of people in the area. A total of 32 people handed in a book.
“Some books did not fit within the artwork because they were outspokenly political or too religious. The mural should not provoke.”
To create the artwork, the two artists first started by adding a latex ground layer of latex before they used spray cans to create the mural.
The graffiti artist even included his own favourite, a Dutch children’s book he likes to read to his two sons.
The 49 books on the shelves are written in seven different languages.
Jan said: “It is a multicultural area. A book cabinet brings people together. Every book has been written with passion and everyone can get their own story out of it. A book triggers fantasy. The globe on the top shelf strengthens the concept.”
As a cheeky extra feature, the two artists even put book featuring the Playboy bunny on its spine on one of the shelves.
Jan said: “There are Polish, German, English, Turkish, Arabic, Dutch and French books on the shelves.
“And the Playboy, which of course is international.”
According to local media, the mural was a huge hit with local inhabitants and netizens alike.
One netizen wrote: “What a lovely project. It looks stunning, I will take a look real soon.”
Another netizen wrote: “How great it is to involve the neighbourhood with the project like this!”
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Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
