Urban identity

2019-03-25 | By Alexandra Elroy

Any saunter through an urban street could lead to an encounter with a sprayed artwork left on the walls, an image hidden off the regular walkways or a tag proudly displaying bulging initials.

Depending on whom you ask, street art can be seen as anything from creative enrichment of the street view to downright vandalism. Opinions may vary, but the sheer range of creativity, from a hastily scribbled message to giant scenarios that cover entire buildings, is undeniable.

Getting to know Dutch cities through their street art

The growing appreciation of the creativity found in good street art has led to the emergence of enterprising projects. These initiatives channel a sense of identity–not just that of the artists, but of the very streets they paint on. In the Netherlands, municipalities have even started funding, supporting and seeking out street artists.

This legalising and promoting of street art, something that is still largely seen as an underground movement, may seem like a forced attempt to tame a wild, creative beast, but there could be more to it. The projects of artists and initiatives in the major Dutch cities culminate in a visual spectacle of fun, rebellion and visual stimulation.

Utrecht is a city of hidden gems; Rotterdam, the city of innovation; The Hague, a city of culture; and Amsterdam, a city of internationals.

Hidden gems – Utrecht

Utrecht has often been called a hidden gem, with its charming canals and historic city centre. Those who know their way around its smaller streets will point out little shops and cafes that delight the playful, the curious and the adventurous–from board game stores to comic book shops, artisanal beer to coffee places.

If you descend the stairs down to the canals you’ll find the “werfkelders”, waterside cellars from as far back as the Middle Ages. Below their arched stone ceilings are even more finds-unique restaurants, escape rooms and artists’ workshops.

KBTR

This rich environment with its many nooks and corners offers prime opportunity to leave behind little surprises for perceptive city dwellers. Probably the most famous of this branch of creatives is the elusive KBTR.

KBTR is an iconic name inextricably linked to Utrecht. Some call him the Banksy of the Low Lands. Although his work is famous enough to make him rich, he prefers to leave his paintings on the walls for free, just for the love of it. His identity is unknown, because his signature style would incriminate him when left in unapproved spots. This anonymity also serves another purpose, giving KBTR a roguish mystique. His notoriety is good for his image and safety!

KBTR is the creator of De Utrechtse Kabouter (the Utrecht Gnome), a nude little man with a wide grin, white beard and pointy red hat who pops up in the most unexpected places. Mainly appearing in Utrecht, the graffiti’d gnome plasters itself to the bricks in ludicrous situations and rude poses.

Proud of his hometown, the Kabouter has been seen brandishing the Utrecht coat of arms, admiring the famous Dom Tower and declaring war on rival football teams in the name of FC Utrecht. He is often directly influenced by the location where he is placed, and he does not shy away from conveying political messages.

The gnome has been popping up for almost twenty years. Scavenger hunters even make a sport of trying to find as many Kabouters as they can.

Those who wish to find out more about KBTR’s motivations might be hard put to contact the invisible spray painter, but luckily Alfredo Pouwiel, a filmmaker who is currently working on a documentary about him, agreed to pass on some questions.

When asked why he decided to start painting the gnome (whom he calls KBTR as well), KBTR says, “It started as an inside joke for me and my friends. I loved seeing the little guy claim a spot that could have held a tag (the writing of a nickname or mark on a surface by a graffiti artist), or other art piece. KBTR is mainly there for people to enjoy him, and it just gives people hope when you stir things up once in a while.”

Hospital

KBTR explains that his art is a mix of humour, Utrecht identity and messages on current affairs. Each KBTR creation has its own identity, and he leaves people to make their own interpretation. One of his personal favourites is his new work Hospital, on the walls of the St Antonius hospital in Leidsche Rijn. The sizable piece took him six nights to finish and came as a great surprise to the building’s employees. Hospital consists of three panels, showing a number of KBTR’s in the Utrecht canals and the streets around the Dom Tower, each telling their own story. KBTR used all of the techniques that he has mastered throughout his years of experience in this work.

Innovation – Rotterdam

Rotterdam is one of the few big cities in the Netherlands that doesn’t have a historic city centre, because it was destroyed in an aerial attack in World War II. The centre had to be rebuilt from the ground up, meaning the architecture is more modern than in many other Dutch cities. Having lost its historical footing, the city is constantly renewing and redefining itself. Chaotic projects and differences in taste have led to the accusation that Rotterdam was plagued by an identity crisis, unsure whether it wanted to be a bustling metropolis or a cosy town. In the last few years, it has started to find its own way more and more, and with that, street artists are rushing in to claim a wall. Ironically, slang for leaving your street art in a town is “bombing the city”.

Ox-Alien

Ox-Alien is an artist who has been leaving his marks for fifteen years. When asked about the connection between Rotterdam and his art, Ox-Alien’s answer is strong and simple, “Ox-Alien IS Rotterdam. OX are the Latin numbers for 010, which is the Rotterdam area code.”

His work follows a classic graffiti style of brightly-coloured characters with a strong outline. Like KBTR, he repeats his characters so they pop up in different situations, developing a life and identity of their own.

Much of Ox-Alien’s art is part of collaborations by multiple artists, resulting in a rich blend of signature styles, explosive colours and joyfully chaotic storytelling. His trademark aliens burst forth from the mouth of KBTR’s gnome, gawks at Mark Goss’ white ape and morphs out of the tentacles of Pinwin’s pink octopus.

“When I started out, I mainly worked in my artists’ collective called Lastplak. I have less time these days due to work, children, you know how it is. So the last few years I’ve been heading out by myself more often, or together with KBTR, who is my friend and colleague.”

Collectives are a great way to meet with fellow artists, expand creative projects and form a strong group culture. A collective can also function as an organisation that can be contacted for projects, making it easier to realise larger, legal initiatives.

Lately, the constant push for innovation in Rotterdam has led to an increase of large, impressive murals, but Ox-Alien feels that these works are not the true street art representative of the city. “Those, and the works you see in the so-called ‘street art’ festivals, are mainly created by artists who aren’t from the area. They say more about the artist than the city. The stuff you find on the roller shutters and lower walls says much more about the real Rotterdam. What we do is actual street level, it reflects our roots and it’s right in your face.”

Culture –The Hague

Large murals seem to have been embraced as a part of The Hague’s identity. Many projects were instigated by the municipality, which approaches local artists and pays them to create certain works on buildings or construction sites. The city was twice awarded the title of Best Mural during the Street Art Awards. This seems to fit with The Hague, where local art culture is constantly encouraged through all kinds of initiatives and projects..

Bier & Brood

Duo Bier & Brood was the winners of Best Mural in 2018 for their gigantic piece gracing the side of the Nederlands Dans Theater.

A duo with a background in set building, consisting of one artist from Rotterdam and one from The Hague, Bier & Brood seem less focused on their home city’s identity, considering themselves to be world citizens, arguing that The Hague and Rotterdam are like one city with a few parks in between, anyway. This doesn’t mean that their art doesn’t reflect local identity. Their winning piece was part of a project to create murals featuring icons from The Hague. In this case, the focus was on the prestigious theatre itself. The immense work features rolling limbs that symbolise the flurry of a passionate dance.

The charm of legal street art

The Hague Street Art, the local artists’ platform, has good arguments for the promotion of legal street art projects; that art deserves to be sponsored, and creating socially accepted, legal street art can lead to the appreciation of new audiences and encourage more municipalities to fund similar projects. Also, legal street art can prevent illegal tagging, posters and vandalism, which can bring about a cleaner, safer and more colourful neighbourhood. In Rotterdam, the Segbroek area now has legal street art featured on the streets’ electric cabins.

Together with the municipality, The Hague Street Art has realised three graffiti spots where people can paint street art legally. Local and international artists alike make their way to these areas, increasing interest. The projects by The Hague Street Art can be admired in the new Binckhorst Street Art Route, featured in a free guide sponsored by the municipality, and found in local VVV tourist centres.

International – Amsterdam

Much of the art left in the streets of Amsterdam is created by internationals–not just tourists but immigrants–expats and refugees. The international nature of the work forms a strong individual vibe, while proudly acknowledging the local identity of Amsterdam. Not sticking to the tourist hotspots, Amsterdam street art even enriches lesser-known areas that might otherwise be forgotten by the public.

Street Art Museum Amsterdam

Street Art Museum Amsterdam (SAMA), located in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, was founded as a means to stimulate the local economy. Putting this underappreciated neighbourhood on the map stems from the vision of Anna Stolyarova.

“SAMA uses Street Art as a tool to promote social dialogue. In a rapidly changing society, SAMA tells stories that we should not forget,” Stolyarova explains. “The museum challenges the typical expectations of the presumed authority of a museum. With a careful look at gentrification, real estate development and urban renewal, the museum expands its collection and creates a dialogue about the once neglected neighbourhoods around Nieuw-West. Now, the city government recognises the area’s value much more.”

The new prestige of the area also stimulates local residents. Where people may have maintained an unsocial life, staying in their houses and feeling unsafe in the streets, the projects of SAMA have encouraged a sense of community and interaction.

“Our art acts as education points for the locals, as well as subjects for discussion and entertainment. Those with limitations in language, time and health can earn extra income as volunteers by becoming storytellers about the collection. Streets featuring our artworks are cleaned much more regularly. In some cases extra lights were installed to highlight the art, indirectly leading to a safer environment.”

Stolyarova stresses that the international nature of SAMA is one of its main strengths. “We are the only truly international non-profit in the area; we host students from all over the world, as well as newcomers from the nearby refugee centre–helping them learn English, make friends, develop skills and earn their keep. Tourists seek the artworks out in our tours. Thanks to this, locals gain a sense of pride for their home turf, which was previously considered a ‘no go’ area.”

Glory

Curiosity often drives residents to stop at SAMA and chat about works in progress, often influencing the final product. Stolyarova specifically instructs the artists to slow down their work for optimal engagement. As an example of local involvement, she mentions Glory, a large adaptation of The Milkmaid by Vermeer.

Glory was created by El Pez and Danny Recal. The monumental painting was made without a projector and using only spray paint technique, freehand and freestyle. The mural is infused with symbolism and hints at dialogues with locals–the Milkmaid herself shows a little leg for the enjoyment of the residents. The work contains a Colombian Guakamaya parrot, and kitchen utensils symbolise SAMA’s inititative to cook a soup of dialogue with local groups that normally don’t engage with each other.

On the plates covering the ventilation shafts at the bottom of the piece, you’ll find a character wearing a yellow crown from The Little Prince, the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The Little Prince appeared in another local work. Music, watching children play on his outstretched hand. In an unexpected twist, the local (mainly Moroccan) youths complained of the work, saying the crown reminded them of the yellow hair of rightwing politician Geert Wilders, making the playing children seem like he has the lives of Moroccan juveniles in his grasp. As a compromise, the crown was hidden under the skirt of the Milkmaid.

The street art community

The next time you see a piece of street art, pause to think about the immense world behind it and the connections it has strengthened – the strong sense of community in the different street art movements in various cities. Where one might expect singular eccentrics in hoodies or antisocial gangs tagging their territory, we actually find thriving artistic movements.

Street artists connect with each other and with the residents of the neighbourhoods they work in. There is social interaction in the planning, creating, discovering and discussing of a piece, strongly infusing it into local identity. It is art outside of museums, without frames and thresholds. Friends, colleagues, art lovers, locals and tourists–street art creates stories for all to see and sheds light on places and people that might otherwise be overlooked.

About the author

Raised with a mix of Dutch, English and Japanese culture, Alexandra Elroy is a director, coach and writer. Currently, she directs international actors in her theater group English Theatre Utrecht, and is also a voice actress and writer of fiction. In addition to Dutch street art, Alexandra admires Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights and Van Gogh’s Almond Blossom.