street art in Stockholm - Gatukonst.se
street art in Stockholm - Gatukonst.se street art in Stockholm - Gatukonst.se
iconographic than graffi ti. Street art’s idiom feels more; it refl ects and comments on our times. Neither are street artists as anonymous. Some allow themselves to be interviewed by the media — seldom the case with graffi tists, hunted as they are by police and the authorities. All street art is in a sense a political statement since it questions who has the right to cities and public places. Not all street artists are activists, but their roots reach back to the propaganda painted on walls before elections and during times of war and crisis. The English street art icon Banksy claims that “Graffi ti has been used to start revolutions, stop wars and generally is the voice of the people who aren’t listened to. Graffi ti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing.” Street artists don’t ask permission and do what they want when it suits them. Those without access to established channels create their own. Today, advertising is being allowed to take over more and more of our towns. Some street artists compete for the attention of city-dwellers using similar tactics, spreading their own pictures and logotypes, and some of the pioneers have become more or less established brands on the international art scene. Recent developments have reinforced the built-in tension between the alternative and the established. Some see the connection to the art world as logical and self-evident. Others allege that street art loses its strength and sharpness when it moves into galleries. Street art is global by nature – images and icons are largely part of a universal language. It is also a culture where the actors inspire and help each other. For example, Lepos, a wanted man whose fate can be tracked on whereislepos.com, has been spotted in New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, Stockholm and Prague. Street artists often leave their works behind when they move on. When Londoner D*face visited Stockholm, his comic book-inspired fi gures appeared here and there in the Swedish 23 capital.
At a casual glance, much street art seems similar wherever you are in the world, but most cities also have their own special characteristics. In Barcelona, New York, London, Buenos Aires and Berlin, you are struck by the amount and size of street artworks. There are more of them and they are bigger. In Stockholm it is not so overwhelming. There are few murals here, for example. On the other hand, there may be more detail and more small comments. The challenge is often to fi nd places where the work can be seen by many but where the art is not too provocatively visible. If it is, it’s quickly removed. Stockholm’s street art is artistic, rebellious, provocative, poetic and sometimes just strange. It can be as introvert as a private instruction or extrovert with styles that most can relate to. Its infl uences spring from a popular culture melting pot of comics, graphic design, fanzines, political posters, graphics from games and computing, science fi ction, horror movies, web design, skateboard stickers, punk, CD covers and adverts. Much is playful. Adding to, taking away and obscuring the city’s ubiquitous messages, thereby prompting conjecture and curiosity. Why are so many clouds sailing on lampposts? What is that Nosferatu hand reaching for? What is [alleged murderer] Christer Pettersson doing at that hot dog stand? And the woman who places little white houses on the streets that correspond to those in the Swedish version of Monopoly, what’s that about? Street art’s charm is its playfulness and anarchism. Materials and techniques are haphazardly mixed. Marker pens, posters and spray cans are joined by tiles, postcards, cardboard, copying paper, photo paper, mosaics, plastic beads, thread and vinyl. Everything is possible. Everything goes. If there were a Wall of Fame for Swedish street artists, Akay and Klisterpeter would be up there. They have been active the longest and have enjoyed high 24
- Page 1 and 2: BOKFÖRLAGET MAX STRÖM BENKE CARLS
- Page 4 and 5: DE HÄNGDE VID SLUSSEN; ett gäng s
- Page 9: men de fl esta städer har också s
- Page 13: Jag har gått i spåren av DP, On T
- Page 17: evarad än någonsin tidigare då d
- Page 27: status as pioneers and trendsetters
- Page 33: horror movies and every so often yo
At a casual glance, much <strong>street</strong> <strong>art</strong> <strong>se</strong>ems similar wherever you are <strong>in</strong> the world,<br />
but most cities also have their own special characteristics. In Barcelona, New York,<br />
London, Buenos Aires and Berl<strong>in</strong>, you are struck by the amount and size of <strong>street</strong><br />
<strong>art</strong>works. There are more of them and they are bigger.<br />
In <strong>Stockholm</strong> it is not so overwhelm<strong>in</strong>g. There are few murals here, for example.<br />
On the other hand, there may be more detail and more small comments. The<br />
challenge is often to fi nd places where the work can be <strong>se</strong>en by many but where the<br />
<strong>art</strong> is not too provocatively visible. If it is, it’s quickly removed.<br />
<strong>Stockholm</strong>’s <strong>street</strong> <strong>art</strong> is <strong>art</strong>istic, rebellious, provocative, poetic and sometimes just<br />
strange. It can be as <strong>in</strong>trovert as a private <strong>in</strong>struction or extrovert with styles that<br />
most can relate to. Its <strong>in</strong>fl uences spr<strong>in</strong>g from a popular culture melt<strong>in</strong>g pot of comics,<br />
graphic design, fanz<strong>in</strong>es, political posters, graphics from games and comput<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
science fi ction, horror movies, web design, skateboard stickers, punk, CD covers<br />
and adverts.<br />
Much is playful. Add<strong>in</strong>g to, tak<strong>in</strong>g away and obscur<strong>in</strong>g the city’s ubiquitous<br />
messages, thereby prompt<strong>in</strong>g conjecture and curiosity. Why are so many clouds<br />
sail<strong>in</strong>g on lampposts? What is that Nosferatu hand reach<strong>in</strong>g for? What is [alleged<br />
murderer] Christer Pettersson do<strong>in</strong>g at that hot dog stand? And the woman who<br />
places little white hou<strong>se</strong>s on the <strong>street</strong>s that correspond to tho<strong>se</strong> <strong>in</strong> the Swedish<br />
version of Monopoly, what’s that about?<br />
Street <strong>art</strong>’s charm is its playfulness and anarchism. Materials and techniques<br />
are haphazardly mixed. Marker pens, posters and spray cans are jo<strong>in</strong>ed by tiles,<br />
postcards, cardboard, copy<strong>in</strong>g paper, photo paper, mosaics, plastic beads, thread<br />
and v<strong>in</strong>yl.<br />
Everyth<strong>in</strong>g is possible. Everyth<strong>in</strong>g goes.<br />
If there were a Wall of Fame for Swedish <strong>street</strong> <strong>art</strong>ists, Akay and Klisterpeter<br />
would be up there. They have been active the longest and have enjoyed high<br />
24
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