It looms on the edge of downtown a stoneB次元官网网址檚 throw from the Calgary Tower, a splash of colour amid aging buildings, railway tracks, parkades and a steady stream of traffic.

ItB次元官网网址檚 billed as the worldB次元官网网址檚 tallest mural, painted by one of the globeB次元官网网址檚 top graffiti artists, and is part of a project to turn an austere area of downtown into an expansive open-air urban art gallery.

B次元官网网址淭he brutalism and dystopian look of this area with the giant parkades and the spiral ramps and stuff B次元官网网址� it feels like Gotham. So turning this wall from concrete nothing to this is really fun,B次元官网网址� said Peter Oliver, president of the Beltline Urban Murals Project, or BUMP.

The mural is an abstract painting in various shades of orange, black, grey, blue, white and yellow and is the creation of DAIM, an internationally renowned German artist. DAIM, whose real name is Mirko Reisser, has been creating public artworks for more than 30 years.

B次元官网网址淒AIMB次元官网网址檚 work is rooted in graffiti art. ItB次元官网网址檚 abstract and he was actually the very first graffiti artist to start exploring three-dimensional works. So his work kind of obeys the laws of light and shadow but defies the laws of gravity,B次元官网网址� Oliver said.

B次元官网网址淚 think his work really marries well with the brutalism of this building and itB次元官网网址檚 just a massive flat wall of concrete. ItB次元官网网址檚 the very first prefabricated concrete building in Calgary, built in 1980.B次元官网网址�

The mural is 95 metres high, making it the tallest mural in the world B次元官网网址渂y a long shot,B次元官网网址� said Oliver.

He said most cities donB次元官网网址檛 have giant concrete walls available, with the majority being glass, steel or aluminum. So this was a perfect marriage.

DAIM, who was assisted by three local artists, spent over three weeks painting and went through more than 500 cans of spray paint after a base coat was added to the bare concrete. It is to be a permanent addition to the area and, as of last week, was awaiting a coat of UV sealant to make it complete.

Facing toward the east, it can be seen from a long way away.

B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檝e got the window seat on the airplane, you can see it on the approach into the airport,B次元官网网址� Oliver said.

B次元官网网址淚 think what weB次元官网网址檙e really doing with BUMP is re-architecting the identity of this city.B次元官网网址�

The project will be unveiling about 60 new murals during its annual festival, which runs from Aug. 1 to 28. Before that, the new art work can be viewed by visitors at the annual Calgary Stampede, which begins this week.

B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e coming down, IB次元官网网址檇 check this out over the parade any day,B次元官网网址� Oliver said with a chuckle.

B次元官网网址擝ill Graveland, The Canadian Press