Mural, Mural on the Wall

 Homo sapiens have opposing thumbs and are able to walk on two feet.  That is also true of all primates.  there is a longer list of abilities common to both such as communication and fairly complex reasoning ability.  So what makes us so different?  Awareness of a future!  Smithsonian Magazine has an extensive piece in its January 2016 issue, titled 

A Journey to the Oldest Cave Paintings in the World

It is evident that these ancient artists recorded what they saw or did, not for themselves, but for those who came after them.  Using charcoal and ochre they left a record of their existence — of who they were and what they did.  

As humans moved from caves to buildings and new pigments provided color choices, frescoes became a popular form of wall art.  Their popularity lasted from the thirteenth through the sixteenth century.  Frescoes were generally water colors applied to wet plaster and allowed to dry together.  The frescoes that can be enjoyed today are a tribute to the method's durability.

The 21st century Seems to have sparked a desire to apply paint directly to the brick, wood, or concrete walls, the result being murals of great size , color, and detail adorning public buildings in cities and towns all over New York State,  You will be able to find examples in most cities and towns.  The one above resides in Kingston, NY.