IRLO

(b. 1985, Bistrița, Romania)

IRLO (Laurențiu Alexandrescu)

is a Romanian contemporary artist, muralist, and painter best known for his contributions to the street art and graffiti movement in Romania. Born in Bistrița in 1985, he later lived in Arad and subsequently worked across numerous Romanian cities, developing a visual language that merges graffiti culture, surrealism, fantasy, pop imagery, and contemporary mythology.

Initially recognized for his large-scale public murals, IRLO has become one of the most visible figures in Romanian street art. His practice extends beyond the urban environment into painting, where he translates his distinctive universe of fantastical characters, symbolic narratives, and psychedelic compositions onto canvas. His works frequently reinterpret historical, religious, and folkloric themes through a contemporary lens, demonstrating how archetypal stories can be continually reimagined and adapted to new cultural contexts.

IRLO's artistic language is often associated with the lowbrow movement, comics, graffiti aesthetics, surreal pop, and fantasy imagery. Recurring motifs include hybrid creatures, mystical beings, saints, dragons, and symbolic figures that navigate themes of spirituality, consciousness, transformation, and social commentary. Humor, irony, and playful visual storytelling coexist with deeper reflections on mythology and collective memory.

Throughout his career, he has participated in numerous exhibitions and public art projects in Romania and abroad. He has collaborated with institutions such as the Brukenthal National Museum, exhibited at the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, and co-founded significant mural initiatives including New Mural Order (NOM). His large-scale interventions have become landmarks of contemporary Romanian urban art.

Within the context of Pavot, IRLO's work stands out through its ability to bridge street culture and fine art, transforming contemporary myths, personal memories, and spiritual narratives into richly imaginative visual worlds.