AMSTED Paints 160 m² Mural on Five Pillars of the A51 Motorway in Septèmes-les-Vallons
A 160 m² mural created by AMSTED, an artist from Aix-en-Provence, now embellishes five pillars along the A51 in Septèmes-les-Vallons. This initiative, organized by Urban Art Up and commissioned by the Direction Interdépartementale des Routes Méditerranée (DIRMED), took place from August 3 to 6, 2026, during three night shifts to accommodate traffic. The goal is to enhance the aesthetic appeal of road structures. AMSTED incorporated the colors of Marseille and collaborated with graffiti artist Fuego to include lettering that pays homage to the city’s graffiti culture. With support from paint supplier unikalo, AMSTED, a self-taught artist with over two decades in psychiatry, aims to raise awareness about disabilities through her bio-inspired graphic style. The project was announced in a press release.
Key facts
- AMSTED created a 160 m² fresco on five pillars of the A51 motorway in Septèmes-les-Vallons.
- The project was commissioned by DIRMED and coordinated by Urban Art Up.
- The fresco was painted from 3 to 6 August 2026, requiring three night shifts due to motorway safety and traffic constraints.
- AMSTED used blue tones inspired by Marseille's colours, with twilight and sunset hues warming the composition.
- Artist Fuego was invited to add graffiti lettering, referencing Marseille's nearly forty-year graffiti history.
- Paint supplier unikalo supported the realisation of the work.
- AMSTED is the alias of Amélie Martinez-Piat, a self-taught artist from Aix-en-Provence with over twenty years of experience in psychiatry.
- The project is part of DIRMED's programme to requalify road infrastructure and give local artists visibility in public space.
Entities
Artists
- AMSTED
- Amélie Martinez-Piat
- Fuego
- Anatolii Komkov
Institutions
- Direction Interdépartementale des Routes Méditerranée
- DIRMED
- Urban Art Up
- unikalo
- Artistikrezo
- YourWolfAgency
Locations
- Septèmes-les-Vallons
- Marseille
- Aix-en-Provence
- France