In collaboration with the Artistic Group, a mural was created in Buenos Aires to honor a world champion captain. The story behind the artwork and its location are worth knowing.
“Duck, I want to do this with Messi.” At thirty-five, the Argentina captain was delivering a World Cup performance that many believed would define his legacy. It was during this moment that the content creator and artist, ChulenGOL, proposed to Patricio Tarruella, editor-in-chief of GOAL en Español, the chance to commission a visual tribute to the 10 albiceleste. The suggestion came after he showed a wall already bearing the image of Diego Maradona. The project needed a clear context, though the specifics could stand on their own, and the team decided to move forward with the idea.
The proposal carried significant ambition. With ChulenGOL, the team initially explored a different format for GOAL’s social channels, and a mural emerged as an unexpected next step. The belief was that a public, enduring piece could cap a World Cup narrative in a memorable way. After obtaining approval from Lucas Bertellotti, the director of GOAL’s Spanish edition, brainstorming sessions began to shape the concept and execution.
With Argentina’s World Cup campaign underway in Qatar, ChulenGOL brought together members of the Boedo Artistic Group. This collective had previously collaborated on a mosaic honoring Diego Maradona, and their experience informed the plan to pay homage to Lionel Messi with a piece that would endure in a public space and stand as a lasting moment in time.
The project integrated hundreds of ceramic elements and a backdrop reminiscent of the Argentine flag, accented with gold firulets to symbolize Buenos Aires and the World Cup’s inauguration. The essential piece, however, was locating a suitable site to document the artwork’s creation and reveal the final mosaic to the public.
Following discussions with the Boedo Artistic Group, the Municipality of five districts in Buenos Aires, covering the Almagro and Boedo neighborhoods, offered a wall in the area known as Mini Plaza Constitución. It was the perfect canvas, and the team pressed ahead with the build.
The mosaic required months of preparation, culminating in a three-month construction phase and a three-day painting period. The process used 168 tiles, 20 liters of paint, 30 kilograms of cement glue, and 10 kilograms of paste. The installation began in March 2023 and was inaugurated alongside the local neighborhood residents.
The Messi mural in Mini Plaza Constitución is located at Constitución 3355, between Virrey Liniers and Sánchez de Loria streets, in the Boedo neighborhood of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.
Additional works by the Boedo Artistic Group can be explored through their social channel, @artisticoboedo.
Sources: Goal