"This print was developed following a month spent living and working in Lisbon, where I immersed myself in the city through observation, walking, and documentation. Coming from a street art background, I’m always highly aware of my environment and the way a city shapes both people and visual language. Lisbon immediately felt familiar, there are strong parallels with Dublin in its cultural depth, history, and humanity. But Lisbon carries a particular vibrancy, amplified by light, colour, and climate. What stood out most to me was the city’s surface language, the mosaic tiles, the layering of materials, and the quiet beauty found in its aging and weathering. Broken façades, discarded buildings, cracked tiles, and flora pushing through concrete all reveal traces of life and use. These imperfections speak to time, occupation, and shared experience, they show a city that has been lived in. In this work, I wanted to move away from the flat, clean-lined graphic approach I’m often known for and instead embrace texture, depth, and layering. The piece reflects the conversations within a city, between old and new, destruction and growth, people and place, and how a single space can hold countless stories across different moments in time.
A hand embellished element is inspired by the overhead tram wires that cut through Lisbon’s streets. This gesture is intentional, a way of marking my physical presence within the work, acknowledging that the piece is not just about the city, but about my experience of being there. Just as the city left its mark on me, I wanted my hand to be visible in the final image."
Al Maser.
