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HENSE Transforms M@dison Building Wall Into Colorful Mural (VIDEO)

By Edward Cardenas

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - Internationally known artist Alex Brewer, known as HENSE, has transformed a plain, six-story wall in downtown Detroit into a large-scale painting bursting with a variety of shapes and colors.

Over the course of the past three weeks, Hense has used cherry-picker and paint sprayer to apply the large swaths and layers of paint on the wall before transitioning to rollers and brushes to create the massive painting.

"Everything I do non-representational. It is purely abstract," said Hense, from Atlanta, who developed the work as he painted and drew upon the surrounding architecture for inspiration. "Being in downtown Detroit, you have a lot of these old, historic building that are now being renovated, you've got a lot pedestrian traffic. These were things going through my head as sources of inspiration."

The 100,000-square-foot painting is his second largest work of art. His largest commissioned work was for The ISIL Institute in Lima, Peru, which is 137 feet tall and 170 feet wide.

Brewer was previously commissioned by Bedrock Real Estate and the Library Street Collective to paint murals in the Z Lot in downtown Detroit, and returned this summer for the M@dison project.

He said he sees the beauty in the dilapidated, old, historic buildings but also sees a lot of "awesome" things happening with the renovation and preservation of the structures in the Detroit.

"Working on the Z Lot was a great experience," said Walker, who was enjoyed walking around the city, taking the local eateries and making friends.

The work will be officially unveiled at a celebration from 5 - 7 p.m. Monday in the M@dison Building parking lot, 1555 Broadway, Detroit. The event includes video and a performance by "The Formula" featuring Detroit Institute of Music Education's Head of Drums Eric 'Rain Man' Gaston and DJ Ric Flair. El Guapo Grill food truck will be on site selling fresh Mexican food, and Bedrock will give event guests apple cider, donuts, and caramel apples while supplies last.

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