Jack Lack "Prestigious goods"

With a protective gaze, the young girl, covered with a white scarf, gathers the flowers of the precious sword grass, known as balsam, aware that she holds something very important in her hands. Walking in Vyronas, on Fleming Street, if you look up, you will see a large mural inspired by the wildflowers and beneficial herbs of Hymettus and the Attica region. The title of the new work is "Prestigious Goods" and its creator is Jack Lack, a German artist from Stuttgart who spent the summer months in Greece. His work was created with the support of the Awesome Athens Experiences team and the people of the Municipality of Vyronas.

Jack Lack, also known as Roman de Laporte, has been living in Groningen, Netherlands, for the past few years. He stayed in the center of Athens, making "occasional trips" to the mountains and hills of the city to escape its intense pace. On almost all of his excursions, he was surprised by the smell of St. John's wort in the warm air. It was such an intense and amazing smell for him that it immediately brought back many images. He also explored the local art scene for a while, going to concerts by the Athenian band AMKA, of which he is now a fan. "The initial plan was to enjoy a different side of street art, meet some friends, and 'learn' their ways. However, I realized the city's potential for murals and started preparing for the right project. I began checking out the local scene and talking to local artists, who put me in touch with Kalliopi and Thomas. I contacted them and everything fell into place. When the kids showed me the location of the mural and I saw Mount Hymettus, I wanted to include that feeling in my work".

Born and raised in Stuttgart, artist Jack Lack has produced a variety of different-sized and themed murals throughout his artistic endeavours. His main media of artistic production are cans and airless systems. The assimilation of his works into the environment is one of his goals, the works blend into the vibrating cityscape, however, through his well-balanced palette and variety of themes, he manages to reshape the surroundings of his works. Playing with the limits of flat surfaces and walls, Jack creates three-dimensional images that are part of the broader canvas of the urban environment, thus creating a visually eloquent result. Inspired by elements of industrial/urban decay, such influences are part of Jack Lack’s art, creating a vivid contrast between the fresh colour tones and the urban decadence of modern city-centres.