I recently travelled Europe for 7 weeks and am now in New Zealand for a year! I can’t help but hit up the museums that are highly recommended by the Lonely Planet or locals. The only thing is I find myself making fun of the art more than appreciating the art in these museums. Don’t get me wrong I do like some of it, but I have a hard time really appreciating the world famous artistry by painters such as Van Gogh, Picasso, da Vinci, and others similiar abstract artists. Maybe my bank account doesn’t register enough zero’s or I don’t drink the right type of wine while I view them.
However something definitely clicks when I see someones thoughts plastered on the side of a building. I’ve been falling into the mindset of “using unused space” and like Airbnb and Uber, street art falls right into place with that ideology. Street Art also allows someone with a camera to make new art by framing it differently in accordance with what the streets around offer. To show you why I believe Street Art is the Best Art I will present 3 cities that have proper Street Art.
1) Stavanger, Norway
The small coastal town of Stavanger, Norway holds some of the best displays of Street Art, perhaps in the world. Art is welcomed in this community and encouraged during there annual NuArt Street and Urban Art Festival. This world renowned festival brings in some of the best street artists from around the world to literally paint the town.
Above: Several of my favourite pieces from around Stavanger.
Below: A local favorite stencil artist Martin Whatson.
2) Brussels (Bruxelles), Belgium
The city of Bruxelles holds a unique history that is connected to its street art. The city is the birth place of several of the worlds most famous comic strip artists such as: Hergé – (The Adventures of Tintin), Morris – (Lucky Luke), Peyo – (Johan and Peewit, The Smurfs), and many more, but those are some of the more recognizable ones as their comics have been translated to english.
Above: A few of the pieces found while walking the self guided Comic Strip Trail.
Below: Crochet art on a tree (left), Open Wall for beginners or experts to paint without persecution (Right)
3) Christchurch, New Zealand
The city of Christchurch tells a story that is impossible to overlook when you wander the streets. 5 years ago a devastating earthquake shook this city and today the effects are still evident. Residents have taken it upon themselves and started the 1st annual Spectrum Street Art Festival in 2015 in an effort to brighten up some of the darker places of the city that have not seen any rehabilitation yet. I believe the art does wonders to create a unique centre and definitely makes it one of my favourite cities I’ve yet to visit.
For serious though, it is impossible to pick a favourite from these three as they all portray such different images in different ways. Like a museum each city is a different room that offers a different take on art. I’m not very philosophical, but I guess you could say the world is one big museum and every city is that cities way of portraying what their ideal city should look like. What’s your favourite city and why?
Posted by Mitch
