2023 MURAL BY ALEX SENNA PHOTOGRAPHED AUGUST 2025
MURAL BY ALEX SENNA 2023 PHOTOGRAPHED AUGUST 2025 [WATERFORD WALLS 194 BALLYBEG SQUARE]
I was unable to visit Waterford in 2022 or 2023 so, while I was aware of this Mural, I was unable to photograph it until 2025.
A noteworthy aspect of this mural is its integration of localised details. Senna painted an image of the house itself onto a figure's jumper and included the skyline of Waterford City within the artwork. This inclusion of local elements demonstrates his artistic versatility and his commitment to grounding his universal themes in a specific, personal context.
A pivotal aspect of Senna's artistic practice is his exclusive use of a black-and-white palette, a deliberate choice rooted in his personal experience with colour-blindness. This unique personal trait is not a limitation but a fundamental aspect of his artistic identity. The removal of colour, a decision born from his continued use of a single color in his sketchbooks, forces a focus on form, narrative, and emotion, stripping away the visual distractions and potential political or cultural baggage that colour can carry.
This monochromatic approach serves a deeper artistic and social purpose. By reducing his visual language to "black and white silhouette-like characters" , Senna creates a unifying visual shorthand. His art, while depicting the "everyday life of ordinary people," also speaks to "social issues such as the coexistence of people with different cultures". In a country as vibrant and multicultural as Brazil, the choice to use black and white can be seen as an attempt to visually transcend difference and emphasise the shared human experience. This simple, stark contrast creates a "much needed unity" , allowing viewers to connect with his characters as universal representations of emotion rather than as individuals defined by superficial or cultural markers. The elegant simplicity of his work is designed to communicate messages that are "simple, clear, and straight from the heart".
I was unable to visit Waterford in 2022 or 2023 so, while I was aware of this Mural, I was unable to photograph it until 2025.
A noteworthy aspect of this mural is its integration of localised details. Senna painted an image of the house itself onto a figure's jumper and included the skyline of Waterford City within the artwork. This inclusion of local elements demonstrates his artistic versatility and his commitment to grounding his universal themes in a specific, personal context.
A pivotal aspect of Senna's artistic practice is his exclusive use of a black-and-white palette, a deliberate choice rooted in his personal experience with colour-blindness. This unique personal trait is not a limitation but a fundamental aspect of his artistic identity. The removal of colour, a decision born from his continued use of a single color in his sketchbooks, forces a focus on form, narrative, and emotion, stripping away the visual distractions and potential political or cultural baggage that colour can carry.
This monochromatic approach serves a deeper artistic and social purpose. By reducing his visual language to "black and white silhouette-like characters" , Senna creates a unifying visual shorthand. His art, while depicting the "everyday life of ordinary people," also speaks to "social issues such as the coexistence of people with different cultures". In a country as vibrant and multicultural as Brazil, the choice to use black and white can be seen as an attempt to visually transcend difference and emphasise the shared human experience. This simple, stark contrast creates a "much needed unity" , allowing viewers to connect with his characters as universal representations of emotion rather than as individuals defined by superficial or cultural markers. The elegant simplicity of his work is designed to communicate messages that are "simple, clear, and straight from the heart".