Irene López León at KROMATIC: Sport and Health with a Human Perspective
In the video, an interview with Irene López León at Kromatic (a bilingual interview: questions in Catalan, answers in Spanish). She explains that she came to muralism on seeing another woman painting, in Kuala Lumpur; what the numbers and letters that appear on the wall before the drawing mean; and one figure: «we are still 20%; it would be good if it were 50%».
The video in text (abridged)7 min 49 s
Irene López LeónI'm Irene López León and I'm a painter and muralist from L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.
Your entry into muralism was almost accidental, and it happened on a trip to Kuala Lumpur.
Irene López LeónIt was by chance that I came across painting. Basically it was when I saw another woman painting, and I could use her as a role model and get into the world of painting myself.
You have been in muralism for ten years and there are murals of yours in Miami, Brussels, Penelles, L'Hospitalet… How did you come to Sant Andreu de la Barca?
Irene López LeónThrough Rebobinart, which was curating the Sant Andreu murals. My artistic proposal fitted the wall's theme and they assigned it to me.
Your work stands out above all for its explosion of colour. How would you describe your style?
Irene López LeónI have been through different styles and themes, because I like to try things and evolve. But mainly they are defined by colour, composition and nature. In the end nature is where I feel best: it is the place that connects me with life, so to speak.
Making art in the street gives you direct contact with the viewer.
Irene López LeónHaving contact with people is very enriching. And you don't have to pay a museum admission to take it in: it is for everyone.
Why did you decide to make murals your living?
Irene López LeónIt was never my intention to make a living from murals: I simply painted them, and in the end it became a profession. I'm happy because it gives me the chance to travel and see other places, and to meet people I would never have met if I weren't painting. Very grateful, honestly.
What did you want to convey in the Sant Andreu de la Barca mural?
Irene López LeónThe mural's theme is sport and health. I didn't want to do a specific sport: I wanted to highlight sport's values, like comradeship and knowing how to win and lose. So I have painted the final photograph of a match, with two opponents embracing and celebrating the fact of playing sport.
In the world of muralism is there comradeship or a lot of competition?
Irene López LeónI haven't actually felt it as competition, because everyone has their own style; and when we have come together, honestly, we support one another.
A lot of people have asked us why, at the start of the mural, there were numbers and letters on the wall.
Irene López LeónThe letters are the reference for where each line and each colour goes. That is what lets me know, when I'm up close to the wall, where everything goes, because I am painting blind.
How long do you spend thinking about a mural before taking it to the wall?
Irene López LeónFirst I spent time thinking about the theme I wanted to set out visually, and then I make a sketch. I don't know exactly how long; maybe a week.
How do you feel about urban art being ephemeral?
Irene López LeónI actually learnt to let go of the work and not get attached to it. In the end it is something out in the street, subject to weather and wear. It is part of life.
Muralism is dominated by male figures, but there are more and more women. Here, in Sant Andreu de la Barca, there is you and there is Lula Goce. How would you encourage more women to do it?
Irene López LeónI think women are already motivated to do it. The thing is that more spaces are needed where they can take part. We take up more space than in other pictorial disciplines, but we are still 20%: it would be good if it were 50%.
When you finish a mural and add your signature, what do you think?
Irene López LeónI take a photograph of it, I keep it for myself, and that night I sleep wonderfully.
And where should art be? In the street or in galleries?
Irene López LeónI prefer it in the street, but that's a matter of taste. Since I spend most of my time making murals, when production slows down because of the weather, in winter, I do turn to painting studio work.
What mark do you think you will have left on the people of Sant Andreu?
Irene López LeónIn the end I am putting heart and love into this, so precisely that.
Video by Ràdio Sant Andreu. Abridged version: direct quotes are kept; repetitions, overlapping speech and passages unrelated to the project are left out.
Sant Andreu de la Barca
Muralist Irene López León, originally from L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, has left her mark in Sant Andreu de la Barca with a work full of symbolism, emotion, and shared values. With a figurative and realistic style that blends nature with everyday spaces, Irene was one of the artists selected to participate in the KROMATIC Festival, bringing her unique perspective through a mural that promotes inclusion and health through sport.
Located at number 63 on Rector Juanico Street, the mural occupies a prominent spot at the city’s entrance from Pallejà. The composition features two central figures: a boy and a girl who, despite wearing different uniforms —as if they were from opposing teams—, embrace warmly after a sporting activity. The gesture sends a clear message: sport should be an experience of coexistence, collaboration, and mutual respect, far from competitiveness and the culture of winning.
The artwork does not focus on a specific sport but instead highlights the variety of physical activities found in the city. Through details such as laurel leaves —a symbol of recognition and effort— and a floral section inspired by Olympic podium bouquets, the mural connects with local identity and the idea of shared progress rooted in community well-being and commitment.
Mural located at: C. Rector Juanico, 63, 08740 Sant Andreu de la Barca, Barcelona
About KROMATIC
KROMATIC is the metropolitan urban art festival of Sant Andreu de la Barca — a project that promotes the connection between art, public space, and citizens through the creation of large-scale murals. It is organized by the Sant Andreu de la Barca City Council, produced by Rebobinart, and supported by the Government of Catalonia.
