The Connective Garden
The Connective Garden by Felipe (Filipe) dos Santos on the Franklin Alleyway wall by Shive-Hattery in Valparaiso is a vibrant and uplifting mural that captures the spirit of community and growth. The mural features four monstrous portrait panels of four individuals, sketched with bold diagonal hatching, a signature of Felipe’s unique illustration style.
The individuals each represent the inclusive nature of the arts with unique faces, expressions, color, and a designated flower representing each of them. One portrait in particular features Felipe’s son who has autism. Felipe incorporated puzzle pieces as a backdrop to each portrait as a nod to that personal connection as well as to serve as an important awareness for viewers who also range in different ages and abilities.
This project was meant to be hand painted by Felipe in person, but visa restrictions during that time would not allow for his presence sadly. We wanted to honor this impeccable and selected design by providing it as a wrap around steel panels to last for decades. We hope to have Felipe visit at a later time to provide live renderings of this special project.
This extensive 4-part mural activates the alley with inspirational themes of individuality, growth, diversity, and creative expression. It also connects to the collaborative mural further east in the same alley, where over 400 community members painted flower tessellations to puzzle this massive installation together. The tessellation entitled Mural for ALL ties into Felipe’s connective vision of hope, awareness, and joy.
Mural in progress
“What makes this mural especially unique is that it was created by an international artist, adding a global dimension to its meaning. I’m drawn to its message of inclusiveness, particularly in connection with Mural for ALL. The garden imagery radiates beauty, joy, and growth, symbolizing a space where everyone belongs and can flourish.”
Lisa Rommelmann, VCC Board Member
Felipe dos Santos Barbosa Morais, artistically known as Talu, is a graffiti artist and muralist from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Talu carries in his work the essence of the street culture of his hometown.
With 24 years of experience in graffiti and 5 years dedicated to muralism, he blends wildstyle lettering with human figurative elements, resulting in works with strong visual impact and meaningful social messages.
A defender of the preservation of graffiti lettering, Talu describes this form of expression as “the hieroglyphs of modern days,” valuing the ephemeral nature of urban art and its deep connection to the streets.
About the mural location
Shive Hattery is a Valpo architecture and engineering firm with about 25 team members. VCC thanks Shive Hattery for hosting Felipe’s mural in the Franklin Street Alleyway at 65 Franklin St, Valparaiso, IN 46383.
