LISBON, PORTUGAL, May 24, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- In a personal statement about his art, muralist Guga Liuzzi explains why he joined forces with investigative reporter Ian Urbina to draw attention to human rights and environmental abuses at sea within The Outlaw Ocean Mural Project.

A global effort to disseminate investigative journalism about human exploitation and labor crimes at sea, the project brings together painters from around the world to leverage public creativity with a cause. These paintings are based on the groundbreaking reporting produced by a small, non-profit news outlet based in Washington, D.C., The Outlaw Ocean Project. The organization exposes the urgent problems happening on the earth’s oceans including sea slavery, arms trafficking, the climate crisis and overfishing.

What makes The Outlaw Ocean Project a distinct news organization is three-fold. First, the reporting focuses on the more than 50 million people who work in a realm that covers over two thirds of the planet, but whose stories are rarely told. Second, the news-gathering is funded directly by readers and foundations so that the stories can be published for free in over a half dozen languages and more than three dozen countries, which gives it wide impact. Third, the journalism is targeted toward non-news platforms and a younger and more international audience by converting these stories into art. In turn, individuals are able to connect with the issues on a more visceral level.

The Outlaw Ocean Mural Project is part of this innovation and offers a communal display of nontraditional journalism with unmatched effectiveness.

Guga Liuzzi is a plastics artist from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1999, he began painting in the streets, quickly familiarizing himself with the local community of artists in the city. He soon branched out to painting urban fixtures such as poles, culverts and power boxes, his variety of art receiving widespread attention from local media.

Liuzzi believes the power of his painting reaches a diverse public, “unhindered by language barriers.”

At the same time, Liuzzi sees the strength of the art-journalism collaboration. “The eyes interpret images at an incredible speed, but words as inspiration can also be part of an impactful graphic composition,” said Liuzzi.

Guga Liuzzi’s mural can be found in Lisbon, Portugal and is called “Horizonte (Horizon).”

Media Team
The Outlaw Ocean Project
media@theoutlawocean.com
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube

Guga Liuzzi | #TheOutlawOceanMuralProject