Four painted walls tell a story. They retell the myth of the Tower of Babel. This is the Mur peint La tour de Babel du futur.
These walls each use different artistic styles. They include classic Flemish art like Bruegel. There is 3D art from an architect’s firm. A comic book style is there too by Nicolas de Crécy. The mural exists in a very mineral universe.
The myth speaks of human ingenuity. People united by a common language built a city. Their tower reached high into the sky. God felt challenged by their power. He confused their language creating discord. God scattered them across the earth into different civilizations. Was this a good thing or a bad thing?
The Mur peint La tour de Babel du futur was created in 2006. It was made along with the Shanghai fresco. The Cité de la Création created it.
You can find three of the towers of Babel here. Bruegel the Elder was a painter from the 16th century. Nicolas de Crécy is a contemporary comic artist from Lyon. Coop Himmelb(l)au is the architect firm. They designed the Musée des Confluences. These works revisit the Tower of Babel myth.
The leftmost mural is a favorite. It is painted in the style of Nicolas de Crécy. The mural wraps around two sides of the building. It embellishes the balconies.
The central mural looks very modern. It reminds people of the Musée des Confluences. This mural was painted in the style of Coop Himmelb(l)au. They are the architects who designed that museum.
The third Tower of Babel mural is on the right. It is a replica of a work by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. That painting is in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
The Cité de la Création is a Lyon-based company. It has 80 painters architects and landscapers. They have covered walls worldwide with art for over 40 years.
Take a moment to appreciate the details. Notice how each section captures a different artistic vision. The Mur peint La tour de Babel du futur makes you ponder. It questions the nature of progress and unity. It explores how diversity arises. Is it a curse or a blessing? As you leave consider this timeless story.