“Vitality”
Vestergade 11
This painting is inspired by Global Goal #3 ‘Good Health and Well-being’.
The painting is made by Marat Morik, Russia
“Vitality”
This mural vividly encapsulates the essence of Sustainable Development Goal 3: "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages." At its core, the mural portrays the intricate and holistic nature of health, emphasising that true well-being encompasses physical, mental, and social dimensions.
Central to the mural is a vibrant depiction of a human figure in a state of balance, embodying the delicate equilibrium between physical health and mental stability.
The mural also explores the complex journey towards achieving good health. It acknowledges that health is fragile and requires continuous care and vigilance.
Interwoven throughout the mural is the theme of harmony – both internal and external. The artwork conveys the message that personal health and environmental health are mutually dependent; the well-being of one influences the other.
One striking image features a seagull stealing food, symbolising the need to remain calm and composed amidst life's unexpected challenges. The mural also emphasises the importance of empathy and balance in our fast-paced and often unjust world.
The mural is a powerful visual narrative about living in harmony with oneself and the environment. It tells us to find a balance between giving and taking, and to stay mentally stable, and maintaining empathy. The mural is a poignant reminder that health is not just the absence of illness but a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
Marat Morik was born in 1982 in Novosibirsk, Russia, but has been living in Prague for the past decade. From a young age he developed an interest in painting while visiting art school and looking through art books of the old masters. At the age of six, hediscovered Modigliani – one of the artists who have had the most important impact on Marat Morik’s art. Even though he has completed two academic educations – philology and economics at the Novosibirsk State University – he always knew that he wanted to work in the field of visual arts.
In 1998, after he gained access to the internet, Marat Morik learned about hip hop culture and got into the graffiti scene, where he became proficient in spray-painting and began experimenting with fonts. In the mid-2000's he began working with Andrey Berger (Aber). Together they organised different graffiti and street art events, including the Paint Methods festival, which took place across the major cities of Siberia. They also founded the graffiti agency FGA.
During the 2010s, he stopped associating his art with hip hop culture and began experimenting with subjects and techniques instead, mixing abstract and figurative painting, and familiarised himself with modern art trends.
Besides murals, he creates illustrations, watercolour drawings and paints on canvas, and his collage method allows him to boldly combine different methods and techniques. Marat rarely creates series of works related to each other by one theme. Generally, his inspiration is his own impressions and experiences of interesting stories and situations from ordinary life.
Marat Morik has exhibited in galleries, not only in Russia, but also across Europe and in the United States. He often collaborates with street art galleries all over the world and has frequently participated in major international street art festivals in Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Canada, the USA and China.
This mural has been supported by:
Kronprins Frederiks og Kronprinsesse Marys Fond, Knud Højgaards Fond, Stibo-Fonden, Spar Nord Fonden, Per og Lise Aarsleffs Fond, Axel Muusfeldts Fond, Reisby Fonden, C.A.C. Fonden, Vilhelm Kiers Fond, Hotel Atlantic, Sparekassen Kronjylland, Loxam, Flügger, Aarhus Kommune - Kultur og Borgerservice.