Street Art Utopia

This upside-down mural is upright in reflection

December 2, 2024
By Vidar
A turquoise mural by artist Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania, painted on the side of a building by a canal. The mural depicts an upside-down scene of swimmers, rowers, and swans, which cleverly reveals its full meaning when reflected in the water, creating an upright and seamless composition of people swimming, rowing, and swans floating on a serene lake surrounded by lily pads.

“Floating World” by Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania.

This remarkable mural by Ray Bartkus was intentionally painted upside-down to create a magical effect. The swimmers, rowers, and swans appear right-side-up only when reflected in the waters of the Šešupė River, which flows through the heart of the city.

Visitors to the old dam are invited to rediscover the mural’s beauty time and time again. As Bartkus explains:

“The drawing itself is created in reverse, and its true form is revealed only in the water’s reflection. I hope that every time people pass by, they will discover something new, because this artwork, like our days in life, is never the same as it was yesterday.”

An aerial view of the turquoise mural by artist Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania, painted on the side of a building adjacent to a canal. The image shows the mural in progress, with scaffolding and workers visible as they paint the upside-down design. The mural is designed to reveal its full meaning when reflected in the water, creating an upright scene of swimmers, rowers, and swans.
A view of the turquoise mural by artist Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania, as seen through the frame of overhanging tree branches and foliage. The mural, painted on the side of a building by a canal, reflects perfectly in the still water, transforming its upside-down depiction of swimmers, rowers, and swans into an upright, lifelike scene. The natural framing adds a serene and picturesque element to the artwork.
Artist Ray Bartkus working on his upside-down mural in Marijampolė, Lithuania. He is sitting on scaffolding, holding a laptop in one hand and painting tools in the other, with a bucket of turquoise paint and brushes nearby. The mural is in progress on the building wall, featuring intricate details that transform into a cohesive scene when reflected in the canal below.
The turquoise mural by artist Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania, beautifully reflected in the calm canal water at sunset. The upside-down design on the building wall transforms into a harmonious upright scene of swimmers, rowers, and swans in the water’s reflection. The warm golden light and surrounding trees enhance the serene atmosphere of the setting.
A turquoise mural by artist Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania, painted on the side of a building by a canal. The mural depicts an upside-down scene of swimmers, rowers, and swans, which cleverly reveals its full meaning when reflected in the water, creating an upright and seamless composition of people swimming, rowing, and swans floating on a serene lake surrounded by lily pads.

What do you think about the mural that reveals itself when you look at its reflection in the water?

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