I love the vulnerability and transience of graffiti. On Curaçao, much of the graffiti is still in pristine condition, often on a neat background. So, I do something about that. I’ve photographed countless walls in Otrobanda and use them as backgrounds. This way, the image becomes more dynamic, layered, raw. This artist has adorned many walls with beautiful female faces. All of them stop at the upper lip—the lower lip is never visible. I don’t know why, but it’s noticeable, and maybe that’s the point.
The combination of colors is stunning, to say the least. The white lilies, the red turban and upper lip, the bright blue eyeshadow, and the lightly tanned skin make this piece a joy to look at, especially against the raw wall backdrop.