“Aeskulab,” FRAU ISA, 2018, Cheliusstraße 1, 68167 Mannheim; Photo: Daniel Wetzel/ STADT.WAND.KUNST

The mural “Aeskulab” by FRAU ISA in Mannheim

In September 2018, Austrian artist Isa Toman, also known as FRAU ISA, created a mural on the facade of a seven-story apartment building in the Wohlgelegen neighborhood of Mannheim. The GBG building, which houses a kindergarten on the ground floor, was the perfect setting for FRAU ISA’s dreamy style from the very beginning. During her stay, she lived with her family right in the building she was painting. This allowed her to take her time engaging with the local surroundings and incorporate her personal impressions into her design. The result is the impressive mural “Aeskulap,” on which she collaborated with her husband Oliver and her artist friend CONE THE WEIRD.

The large-scale mural depicts two female figures standing side by side, facing each other, surrounded by elements of nature and the city: green branches, fruit, an ambulance, and a striking tower.  The motifs contain subtle references to the nearby university hospital and the historic Alte Wäscherei. In the center, one of the women peacefully holds a snake—a symbol of the rod of Asclepius, which appears as a pattern on her dress and could represent healing, care, and medical knowledge.

FRAU ISA’s murals are characterized by powerful female motifs inspired by fashion imagery from the 1940s and 1950s, depicted as simple yet symbolic figures that tell their own stories. She portrays them with proud, expressive poses as a counterpoint to common clichés. In Mannheim, her characters can be interpreted as nurses, doctors, or healthcare workers—women who do important work but are often not sufficiently valued.

Photos documenting the creation of the FRAU ISA mural

The video documenting the creation of the FRAU ISA mural

The mural on the map

Photos: Alexander Krziwanie