Koco Collab
Mural Location: 2546 Spruce Street Boulder, CO 80302 (Boulder Furniture Arts)
This mural is activated in Augmented Reality! Download and open the Artivive app and capture the entire mural on your device’s camera to access the digital layer in person or on your computer screen.
Koco Collab (Aiko Szymczak and Corinne “Bee Bop” Trujillo) painted this mural in honor of Aiko’s brother Zane, who passed away from a fentanyl overdose four months ago. A portrait of Zane wearing sunglasses and a simple black shirt anchors the black-and-white mural. The artists set him against a galactic background of stars. Zane gazes toward the moon on the other end of the wall and kelp plants, representing his love for the ocean, surround him. A geometric pattern, or meander pattern as it’s called in Greece, also encircles the figure; its red color sets it apart from the rest of the grayscale mural.
The duo often incorporates universal symbols and patterns into their murals. The moon especially appears in their work often, serving as a symbol of cyclical patterns, emotions, the subconscious, and the undercurrents of our reality. The meander pattern is also used by cultures across the world, including Mayan and Asian cultures. These universal visual elements emphasize cross-cultural connections and remind people from various backgrounds of their similarities.
Additionally, black-and-white portraiture is a mainstay of Koco Collab’s work. The stoic figures juxtaposed with colorful or shifting backgrounds emphasize the relationship between the inner workings of the subject’s mind and the external world. They seek to capture life’s fleeting moments as experienced by their subjects.
@mr_hanimal created the AR layer for Koco Collab’s mural. The AR layer reveals the moon circling through its various cycles and also illustrates Zane’s soul leaving his body. The duo sought to amplify the healing elements of the mural through the animation that serves as a memorial to Zane.
In addition to honoring Zane, Koco Collab hopes to bring awareness to the fentanyl epidemic and its effect on families. Drug trafficking organizations typically distribute fentanyl by the kilogram; one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. The number of overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids in 2020 was more than 18 times the number in 2013. More than 56,000 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids in 2020.
As public artists, Koco Collab carries the responsibility of using their platform to speak out on impactful issues, facilitate healing through conversation and empathy, and create safe spaces for reflection. Their mural for Street Wise is an excellent example of this mission.
About the Artist: