This French Castle Just Got an Eye-Popping Makeover
Who says high society can't have a little flair? One 19th-century castle in France's Loire Valley got a whole new look this summer as street artists from around the world turned the nearly 100-acre estate into a masterpiece of urban art. At its center is the chateau itself which, after nearly 30 years of disrepair, was transformed into a dreamlike mural by Spanish pop artist Okuda San Miguel.
Titled Skull in the Mirror, the mural draws on Okuda's distinct style with a whirlwind of color and shapes, polka dots that jump off the walls and two prism-like skulls that'll stare down any visitor. It's nothing like the unremarkable gray-and-brick castle that previously stood there; the new building looks as if it were torn from a parallel, psychedelic world. The surrealist work certainly stands out in the quiet Pressigny-les-Pins village, which is about 55 minutes from Paris by train.
The piece was done to kick off the upcoming LaBel Valette festival, a French art expo put on by Urban Art Paris that celebrates street culture. More than 100 artists from around the world came to the festival's grounds in late-June to give the Château de la Valette's sprawling grounds new life. Their work will be featured on guided tours throughout the festival, which runs from September 1-3, 2017.
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H/T: AWOL
