Winner of Bostik Mexico’s Pixel Mural Competition Announced in Grand Fashion

Bostik, Inc., a world leader in specialty adhesives and installation systems for building construction, recently announced the winner of the Bostik Mexico Pixel Mural Competition (General Public Category). 

Bostik’s Latin America National Sales Manager, Daniel Sanchez, presided over the glass mosaic mural’s debut as Master of Ceremonies to over 200 industry professionals attending. “This competition is an extension of Bostik´s Signature Spaces™ program, which started in the United States a few years ago,” commented Sanchez. “Overall, it’s an interactive, informative and really fun way to promote the many effective solutions our firm offers the marketplace.

“In Mexico, we choose public spaces to install the winning murals. The highly imaginative, challenging and beautifully designed permanent projects not only beautify the landscape; they also serve as instant reference for architects, designers, specifiers and other customers, magnifying public exposure to our brand,” continued Sanchez. “Additionally, this competition has allowed us to give back to the community, helping to further beautify Mexican cities. Clearly, Bostik contests offer a great way for young, talented design professionals to stand out and have the chance to be recognized within their fields.”

The mural was installed at the “Paseo Santa Lucia” (Santa Lucia River Walk) in Monterrey, a manmade, 1.5 mile-long river created in the exact location the city of Monterrey was founded, 421 years ago. The park receives over 8 million visitors annually, coming from all over the world. Invitations to the winning mural’s unveiling were extended to Bostik customers and many high-ranking officials, as well. These included Jose Manuel Blanco of the French Embassy in Monterrey, who declared, “Very often, urban art illustrates and links to the people and place where it is displayed. This is clearly the case regarding “Pixel Mural Competition” orchestrated by Bostik, a French-based company. Contestants were asked to present proposals showing Monterrey not only as a well-known industrial city, but as a creative, innovative, cultural, and artistic city.

“We congratulate the winner of this first edition of “Pixel Mural Competition by Bostik,” added Mr. Blanco, “And, we will vote for Bostik to keep supporting urban art in the long term, further contributing to the organization of an International Conference, as urban art represents a powerful driver in the implementation of any city´s cultural policy.”

Along the river walk, people will find different expressions of public art, including several murals,” stated Sanchez. “However, this is the park’s only back-lit glass mosaic tile mural, and it also happens to be the largest. The size of the mural is 13.3 meters (43.6 feet) wide and 3 meters (9.8 feet) tall. And, its total weight is 600 kilograms.”

Created by graphic designer/illustrator, Mario Alberto Lopez Melendez, the winning design proudly showcases Monterrey’s iconic mountains including “El Cerro de la Silla,” the symbol of the city, located at the center of the mural under a star-lit mosaic sky. The design showcases seven hands, each with a different instrument / tool used to create various forms of art. From left to right, one can see a paintbrush, an aerosol can, a stiletto, a guitar pick, a pen, a ballerina’s hand, and finally, a sculptor’s spatula. Of 90 highly creative submissions, Lopez’ mural design was selected as Grand Prize Winner by an esteemed panel of judges. He graciously accepted his award, an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris, France for two, courtesy of Bostik. 

The mural, produced by event co-sponsor, Artaic Innovative Mosaic, was made with almost 90,000 Venetian glass tiles bonded to acrylic sheets using Den Braven´s clear MS adhesives (Den Braven, a company specializing in manufacturing high-performance adhesives and sealants, was recently acquired by Bostik). The sheets were then adhered to an aluminum framing (which resembled a ventilated façade) using Bostik´s Panel Tack HM and Foam Tape. Finally, everything was grouted using Bostik´s Dimension® RapidCure™ Glass-filled, Pre-Mixed Grout in the color, “Diamond.” Expansion joints were also sealed with Den Braven´s translucent neutral cure silicones. 

“We were thrilled to participate in Bostik’s Pixel Mural Competition,” stated Ted Acworth, founder and CEO of   Artaic. “The competition’s mission aligns with Artaic’s company ethos to modernize and revitalize this traditional art form. We congratulate Mario Alberto Lopez Melendez on his leading design and are honored to have brought his vision to life.”

“Bostik Signature Spaces™ is all for the support of local talent,” declared Scott Banda, Bostik’s Director of Marketing and Business Development. “For this particular competition, we encouraged the Monterrey artistic community to learn how our products could be implemented to create one-of-a-kind, permanent public works of art. The response was solid. And, the results speak for themselves.”