The Miami Collection, the city's largest rooftop mural, was painted by French artist Mantra and curated by the art consulting organization Justkids. Southeast Financial Center (SEFC) is the site of this stunning addition to downtown Miami's skyline. You'll be impressed with what you're about to see.
Mantra’s Hyper-Realistic Butterflies Adorn SEFC Rooftop in Miami
The enormous piece of art, which covers 3,250 square meters, turns the rooftop into a view and expression of biodiversity. Known for his hyper-realistic trompe-l'oeil murals, Youri Cansell, better known by his stage name 'Mantra', has decorated SEFC's rooftop with a series of his trademark colorful butterflies that have been recreated to resemble their realistic appearance.
The French muralist's most ambitious piece to date, which took six weeks to finish and required 400 hours of painting and 200 gallons of paint, was accomplished despite the difficulties of working on a rooftop—strong gusts and morning ocean dampness. Surprisingly, the mural was created entirely by hand without the use of grids or projectors, demonstrating the artist's accuracy and sense of proportion.
The Freehand Mural Showcases Native Endangered Species
Mantra is renowned for combining creative flare with scientific accuracy, elevating the little yet vital elements of nature to enormous proportions. The essential need for biodiversity protection is highlighted by his butterfly painting at Florida's largest office skyscraper, intended to look like the specimens are softly poised on the rooftop. Curated by the international design studio Justkids, the artwork includes several species, including the endangered Miami Blue, which is native to South Florida.
The artist shares:
"It’s always a pleasure to paint in Miami, a city that thrives on its mix of people and cultures—much like the butterflies in my mural, which represent a diverse selection of specimens. This is my largest mural to date, and I am excited to see it come to life. I am grateful to Southeast Financial Center for giving me the space to create something of this magnitude."
More About the Artist and How He Uses Art to Enhance Corners of the World
Mantra is a self-taught painter inspired by landscapes in the city and in the countryside. His paintings depict nature, especially butterflies, in a style that is realistic and completely alive. Mantra creates free-hand magnificent murals with the combination of exquisite colors and in-depth backgrounds, with the intention to leave his footprints in the urban areas like repeated mantras, hence his nickname.
The incredibly talented artist travels worldwide to realize large-scale murals in Europe, Latin America, and the United States in cities such as Vienna, Brussels, New York, Seattle, Quito, Bogota, and now Houston through his collaboration with Street Art for Mankind.
Photos by @mantrarea.
