Introduction to Hidden-Image Murals

Murals have always been a good example of community art because of the impact they have on the public. Living in New York City, where brick walls and metal storefront gates are common, the designer examined how to communicate to the public using a technique he calls "hidden images." The concept uses specific features of the surfaces: linearity of the metal gate and a grid formed by the brick wall. The technique creates images by painting the refracting lines of metal gates or the mortar on the brick walls, exploiting the "closure" technique of unconsciously completing unfinished forms. This method of communicating is less aggressive than painting a composition on the entire surface; it becomes a discrete yet strong source of communication, catching the attention of the audience by the intrigue of the hidden image. Also, it might be seen as a coexistence or symbiosis between graphics and architecture.