Cellist

Themes: music, nature

The “Cellist” mural on 18th street was completed by Pilsen artist Cesar Perez, also known as CZR PRZ. It depicts his muse and model, Sylvia Grace. She is a friend of Perez and a popular cellist. Grace comprises the majority of the space on the wall, reflecting her role as his primary inspiration. Her name is credited next to the mural. Ava Grey Designs sponsored the mural, which is an art collective that acts as an agency between muralists and those who want to contribute to the wall. The medium is spray paint. This style is characteristic of the younger artist generation in Pilsen. Four birds also appear beside the cellist in the mural, which are a common motif in Perez’s artwork. He describes this mural’s style as surreal, evident through its unexpected assemblage of the cellist and the body of water. The background features clouds and the sky, but in a magenta hue instead of blue. In addition, the musician also has a distorted figure as she uses four hands to play the instrument.

The cello and its music intend to be a metaphor for nature’s harmony with itself. As the cellist is playing, a thunderbolt enters the water. A streak of yellow partitions the blue sea down the middle of the mural. Despite this chaos, her dress and the instrument integrate with each other and the ocean. Blurred lines cross over different elements, and as a result, several unconventional features somehow become cohesive in this image. This dynamic is similar to how multiple sounds come together to create music. This strategy alludes to the theme of balance. In nature, devastation and growth occur all the time. Yet, there is a sense of acceptance for these fluctuations, as they partake in the environment’s self-regulating properties. Therefore, surrealism also contributes to the theme that Perez hopes to convey in this “Cellist” mural.

This description was written by Notre Dame student, Anne Texido Class of 2024.