Skip to content
On 4 September 2026, the glue and glitter speed painter represented by Talents & Productions performed at the official reopening ceremony of the University of Benghazi in Libya. In front of more than 15,000 spectators, the artist painted a live portrait revealed on stage in the final seconds of the act.
Founded in 1955, the University of Benghazi is Libya’s oldest university and one of its largest, with close to 100,000 students. Its main campus had been closed for more than eleven years after suffering heavy damage during the conflict in Benghazi. The reconstruction, led by the Libyan Development and Reconstruction Fund, covered the faculties of Engineering, Arts, Law, Science and Languages, as well as the central library, laboratories and student residences.
The inauguration was staged as a large-scale production. The programme combined 3D mapping retracing the university’s history, visual effects and a drone light show that set three Guinness World Records. Guests included Libyan officials, ambassadors, international delegations and around 240 foreign guests.
Within a programme of international performances, the live painting act worked on a different scale: one artist, one canvas and a single image built in real time. The technique is what sets it apart. The painter works only with glue, so for most of the performance the canvas shows little more than faint lines. At the very end, glitter is thrown across the surface. It sticks only where the glue has been applied, and the portrait appears all at once.
For an institutional ceremony, the format has practical advantages. It needs no rigging or complex technical setup, it leaves a physical artwork tied to the occasion, and the reveal gives the programme a clear, shared moment.
Our glue and glitter speed painter performs at official ceremonies, gala dinners, corporate events and private celebrations in Monaco, France and internationally. The subject is chosen in advance and can be a portrait, a logo or a brand visual. In a very different setting, the same act recently performed for a private birthday party at the Hôtel de Paris in Monaco. For timings, space and planning, see our guide on how to book a speed painter.
