The Colours of Gratitude mural

A cry of joy and optimism in difficult times. This mural was created in 2020 by the American artist Philip Stanton during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is located in the main lobby of the Guinardó-Hospital de Sant Pau metro station.

The space wasn't chosen by chance. This station was used every day by the health workers from the hospital who worked tirelessly during the pandemic. The 60m2 frieze juxtaposes some of the city's most iconic landmarks (Tibidabo, Camp Nou and the Sagrada Família) with eight public hospitals.

There are no people featured on the mural. This is Stanton's way of reminding us that he created his work during lockdown, in solitude. The artist's free, colourful style is reminiscent of Matisse or Magritte. He has a mastery of the technique that is both painstaking and difficult to achieve on such large surfaces.

The artist was assisted by students from the design school, the Escola de Disseny Eina, and the city's transport company, TMB, which held an online competition to name the mural.