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International Artistic Duo To Paint Mural In Downtown Gainesville

Interesni Kazki does not name the mural they painted in Baltimore, MD in April, 2012. Vladimir Manzhos, 34, from Kiev, Ukraine, said every mural they paint has a secret to decipher, and this piece is a secret for them. Photo by Iryna Kanishcheva
Interesni Kazki does not name the mural they painted in Baltimore, MD in April, 2012. Vladimir Manzhos, 34, from Kiev, Ukraine, said every mural they paint has a secret to decipher, and this piece is a secret for them. Photo by Iryna Kanishcheva

Updated 3:44 p.m. Jan. 18, 2016: 

Passersby will soon see a new mural in downtown Gainesville painted by two internationally recognized artists.

The famous duo — who go by Interesni Kazki and are from Kiev, Ukraine — is participating in the second phase of the 352walls urban art project, which began in October, by painting a large mural on the side of Market Street Pub at 112 SW 1st Ave.

Last fall, for the first phase, the 352walls project project brought in several regional and nine international muralists to create murals on buildings throughout downtown Gainesville. The second phase features the work of Ukrainian duo Interesni Kazki in January, Add Fuel artist Diogo Machado in February and an additional artist for a March project.

The artists and the city selected building walls throughout the downtown area to display art never before seen in North Central Florida.

Aleksei Bordusov, 35, and Vladimir Manzhos, 34, make up Interesni Kazki, which translates to “interesting fairy tales or stories,” Bordusov said. 

According to the city of Gainesville, the Ukrainian team helped initiate the urban art movement in Eastern Europe, and they have painted around the world, including Italy, Australia, France, Mexico and the U.S. cities of Los Angeles, New York and Miami. After getting tired of letter graffiti, the duo moved on to character-based graffiti.

Interesni Kazki arrived in Gainesville Monday night from New York City. Bordusov said they expected the weather to be warmer than that of New York City, but it hasn't been better than up north.

However, Bordusov added, “Gainesville is more quiet and fresh than New York City, and we really enjoy it."

Manzhos said working in the cold is uncomfortable and working in the rain isn't possible. If weather permits, they will work in the daylight from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding a lunch break.

The hardest part of painting a mural is starting it, Bordusov said.

“Once we start to paint," he said, "we will develop the idea during the work and develop the mural step by step."

Manzhos said the Gainesville mural doesn't have a name yet and might not until the work is done. The two will start from different parts of the wall and integrate their work together.

Only brushes and rollers are used during painting, Bordusov said, so the wall has to be flat, like the Market Street Pub building, without too many lines on it.

Russell Etling, cultural affairs interim manager for Gainesville, said walls are chosen based on high visibility and a good traffic flow in the city.

“352walls will help brand Gainesville as a cultural destination, attract people to our community, bring business to Gainesville and bring pleasure to people’s life,” Etling said in a phone interview.

Bordusov said he and Manzhos are excited about their upcoming painting work in Gainesville.

“We are happy to paint every time because it is our favorite passion,” he said.

Iryna Kanishcheva, 352walls’ curator and founder, said she is happy that Interesni Kazki is in town to help finish the project.

“They are known in many countries, " she said, "and I know they will do great."

Zhiming is a reporter for WUFT News who may be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news @wuft.org