Big picture: Guido van Helten's monumental murals

High up on a grain silo near the US town of Minot, North Dakota, artist Guido van Helten is using concrete as his canvas. The work on the empty silos is van Helten's latest gigantic mural. He has painted all over the world but grain silos are still one of his favorite "canvases."

"I do enjoy the opportunity to uncover stories that are often kinda considered out of the way or flyover communities," he told The Associated Press news agency. The grain elevator and silos from the mid 20th century were once an important part of in Minot's economy but were decommissioned in the 1990s.

Van Helten uses a mineral silicate paint formulated to absorb and bond with concrete and tends toward colors that suit the concrete background. "I love the coloring of these buildings, so I don't want to fight with them, I don't want to change it, I don't want it to be bright. I want it to become part of the landscape," he told AP.

The 38-year-old began work on the Minot mural in May and the final results are still under wraps. Van Helten said he'll combine photography and painting to depict the people and culture of the region, and that he's been inspired by themes such as cattle ranching and the perspectives of Indigenous groups.

Van Helten has been painting these massive murals for years. In 2015, traveling from his native Brisbane in northeastern Australia to the community of Brim, northeast of Melbourne, the artist painted four figures across six silos, 30 meters (about 100 feet) high. His work was then emulated by other artists, creating what's become known as the Australian Silo Art Trail.

In Mankato, in the US state of Minnesota, van Helten painted silos with the likenesses of local schoolchildren. The mural was based on his experiences at the Mahkato Powwow and Education Days run by a local Indigenous association. The artwork was commissioned in 2018 and finished in 2020.

For a painting in Greenville, South Carolina, van Helten spent 10 days researching the history of the community as well as consulting with locals to come up with an artwork that would commemorate the 50th anniversary of the desegregation of the city’s schools.

One of the world's largest murals, van Helten's 8,000 square meter work on the Wellington Dam near Collie in southwestern Australia, was painted between 2020 and 2021. It features local mine workers, among other community figures, and is a major part of the Collie Mural Trail, an open-air gallery.

In October 2016, van Helten was in the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, which was already close to the front line at the time and has since been taken by Russia. He painted the portrait of 73-year-old teacher Marina Marchenko on an apartment tower. It was created for the Art United Us project, which deals with war, violence and reconciliation. Van Helten worked near the front line for two days.