The Bear Express

Artwork description: „Expresul Ursului (The Bear Express)”

My idea behind the sketch for this wall was to create a mural that would serve as an homage to Romanian staples as well as directly reference elements from it’s surroundings, all in a positive light, emphasising happy looking characters and an overall storybook/fairytale vibe. I noticed the building where the wall is located had colourful windows on the front side, so I took this as a sign to tap into a more playful mural idea and so I implemented some of the window colours into the general colour palette so as to match the rest of the building.

As the wall is located right across from Carol I Park, I made sure to include a nod to it in the background, as seen to the left of the bear (the prominent monument located in the park). 

Seeing as the wall is located in a very green and natural area, I thought it would be fitting to have the main characters be animals. Romania is most known for the largest population of bears in Europe, specifically the brown bear, so I decided he would be my main character. 

The bear is riding a train, a nod to the Dimitrie Leonida Technical Museum (it is a reference to a locomotive on display there), hence the name: The Bear Express. The chamois is also a notable species in Romania which is protected by the EU, so I added it on top of the bear as well.

Other notable species are the Great White Pelican, frequently seen over the Danube river, another Romanian staple. The Bear Express would serve as a reminder of the wonders of Romania and perhaps serve as inspiration to go exploring.