Capoeira

Home gym

This mural was a gift for my parents. They’ve been close friends with their capoeira instructor for decades. Capoeira is a fun and energetic sport, making it a fabulous theme for a home gym.

The mural features three musicians and two capoeiristas. Two musicians play the berimbau, a bow instrument brought to Brazil by African slaves. The third musician plays the atabaque, a tall hand drum. These are very traditional musical instruments, giving the music of capoeira a distinct sound. Music is incredibly influential to this martial art. Slaves disguised their martial arts as dance so their owners wouldn’t stop them from practicing. The lyrics also carry a lot of cultural importance to the capoeiristas.

My favourite part is the line art, which reminds me of Keith Haring. I love how Haring was able to communicate complex ideas in incredibly simple drawings. Here the line art defines each character, adding details that would otherwise be lost. But I’d love to experiment more with pop art and iconography.