MURAL M1NUTE #7: Reskate returns to Jena: a mural about seeing clearly in a time of noise
How a return to Jena became a lesson in vision, politics, and public art.How a return to Jena became a lesson in vision, politics, and public art.
Seven years after their first intervention in Jena, Reskate returned to the city known worldwide for its lens‑making legacy, this time to paint a mural twice as large, and with a message that resonates far beyond the wall it occupies.
Under the slogan “Knowledge is power,” the duo created a work that blends research, self‑awareness, and respect for nature, while subtly nodding to the region’s winemaking past. But the mural’s story didn’t end with its completion. It became a flashpoint, a mirror, and ultimately a lesson in critical thinking.
A return marked by growth
In the seven years since their first Jena mural Die Natur, Reskate has completed more than 40 interventions around the world. Their style has evolved, but their conceptual backbone remains intact. Being invited back to the same city forced them to reflect on continuity, how to complement the earlier work without repeating it.
In 2019, they spoke about closeness to nature.
In 2024, they see themselves as part of it.
Their practice still begins with the same foundation: understanding the environment and the reality of its inhabitants. What has changed is subtle, nuances in their aesthetic language, and a growing comfort with depicting human figures, something they rarely did seven years ago.
A visual language built on optics, nature, and research
The new mural echoes Die Natur through a shift in optical metaphor:
binoculars then, a magnifying glass now.
Nature continues to play a polyvalent role in their storytelling, sometimes symbolic, sometimes ornamental, always connecting the central figure to the environment. The human figure becomes the bridge between these layers, grounding the conceptual message in lived experience.
The phrase “Knowledge is power” ties the mural directly to Jena’s identity as a university city renowned for research and lens manufacturing. It also connects to the artists’ own philosophy: a call for future generations to value research, respect nature, cultivate self‑awareness, and understand the past.
The grape cluster placed at the figure’s heart is a nod to the area’s winemaking history, a reminder that knowledge is not only scientific but also agricultural, local, and embodied.
Context matters: listening to Jena
Both of Reskate’s Jena murals were selected through a private competition in which residents voted on the proposals. Their process always involves deep research and, whenever possible, direct contact with the site and its people. Returning after seven years gave them a richer understanding of the place, but also a sense of responsibility. The first mural cast a long shadow, and they felt the weight of building upon it without being constrained by it.
Their goal remained the same: to create an image through which local people can feel represented.
A mural pulled into politics
Shortly before the unveiling, an old Instagram post resurfaced, one in which Reskate condemned the State of Israel’s genocide against Palestine. The post was twisted with partisan spin, and the official unveiling was canceled.
It was, in their words, “not a pleasant moment.”
But the attempt to silence them backfired.
The cancellation sparked media attention, making their human‑rights stance visible in a country where such positions carry heavy historical weight. The mural’s message—Knowledge is power—suddenly gained new layers. The irony was not lost on them:
“Having our presentation titled ‘Knowledge Is Power’ canceled is a joke that speaks for itself.”
The controversy reframed the work as a call for critical thinking, media literacy, and the courage to question dominant narratives.
Art as responsibility
For Reskate, art is inherently political, whether one takes a stance or avoids one. Working in public space only heightens that responsibility. They approach their murals with respect, care, and commitment, even when addressing sensitive subjects.
Their characters are always portrayed with gentle gestures, even when the themes are difficult. In this mural, the viewer sees not only the figure exploring their surroundings but also their inner self, an attempt to reveal depth and sensitivity.
Positioning their work: between illustration and public Art
Reskate’s murals often feel like distilled stories, and that balance is intentional. They let the space speak through their work, aiming to define an image that resonates with local people. With good curation and clear communication, they believe this is possible, even when the topics are sharp or uncomfortable.
Their two main lines of work, the Reaction Project and the Harreman Project, continue to feed into each other. Recent photoluminescent interventions featuring children influenced their decision to place a child at the center of the Jena mural. They don’t follow a fixed direction, each project asks for its own approach.
Urban Art in the digital ecosystem
Platforms like Street Art Cities play a dual role:
they catalog murals and guide people through parts of the city they might never otherwise visit. But Reskate believes the next step is to highlight not only the finished works but also the cultural initiatives and working conditions behind them.
The muralism boom has brought many festivals, but also precarious working conditions. To address this, Reskate helped bring together more than 200 international muralists on a platform called Muralla, which defends the profession. The initiative includes a manifesto, a decalogue of good practices, and a free model contract.
Its success shows how urgently the sector needs protection and horizontal community building.
A new screen print, extending the life of the mural
Reskate also shared one more piece of news:
they’ve just released a hand‑made screen print based on the mural.
It’s a way of extending the work beyond the wall, another lens through which the piece can be experienced, collected, and supported.
Finding the mural, & its story through Street Art Cities
The mural is now live on Street Art Cities, where people can:
discover its exact location
navigate to it in Jena
learn about the story behind it
and interact with it as part of the global urban‑art archive
Given everything that happened, this digital presence ensures the mural continues to circulate, spark questions, and invite reflection.
What they hope Jena takes away
Reskate prefers not to over‑explain their work.
They start from a concept, but every viewer makes it their own. The most enriching part of painting in public space, they say, is learning from the interpretations that emerge.
Once the brush leaves the wall, the mural belongs to the place, and to the people who encounter it.
Regarding the controversy, they hope people continue to raise questions about what is happening in Palestine and Lebanon.
Regarding the work itself, they hope it helps people understand their city a little better.