Sanctuary City is a meditation on the contrast of the harsh angles of human design against roving tangles of organic growth. The title and some of the structural elements were inspired by renowned architect Ricardo Bofill’s Mertixell Sanctuary in Andorra - a striking building that stands out from its lush surroundings in just such a way. It also explores some of the shapes and trends of the “brutalist” architecture movement popularized in Brazil and other South American regions. The backdrop and botanical shapes were rendered in loose mediums including oil pastels and watered down or splattered inks, while the structural element was painted with tightly controlled acrylic and Sumi ink.