Borderlines

The borderline in Poblenou

 As Cities grow, some parts of the city is New and modern and other parts gets old, and some times left to decay until real estate Developers see the opportunity to make money on renewal and modernisation. They develop plans and projects, then they bring in the contractors and work force.

The wall of Demarcation (Big Waalls Project / RerobinART Barcelona)

Graffiti and Street Art thrives on the boarderline where the modernisation force meets the old and worn parts of the city. In this sense street art is a part of counterculture and the public art is a an easthetic demarcation of the frontier.

Mural by Yrwig

Poblenou in Barcelona is a good example of such a frontier where the old meets the new.  Poublenou is an old indurtrial area that had harsh living conditions. But prior to the Olympic games in 1992 the Council started a process of renovation and modernisation. Today, most of the Poublenou area is a modern residential and business area near to the sea shore. On the outskirts of the area it's still some remains of the old industrial parts where street artists can use their creativity.

"A new face" by Penao in Poblenou

 As long as the commercial interests can push forward, it's almost like a "silent agreement" that the street art culture can flourish at the borderline as long as the commercial interests wins in the end. They usually win because they have the money and the resources, and are supported by the Council.

Joint work by El Xupet Negre & Chanoir

Could economical crises and remission be good for street art then? At least some borderlines can survive for a longer time, but I don't think it's that simple because less money also means less interest for art and culture, and less tolerance for countercultures. Street artists can't be left totally in the shadows, they have to survive too!

Stencil mural by SM172

So I guess that the street art culture have to live in the borderland between growth and decay. However, street art is dynamic and as the city grows and modernise, it's always a new fronitier and new demarcations to paint.

Humans of Barcelona

Part of travelling is seeing places and people that are different or have different customs etc. However, despite all our differences one also recognises how similar we are in many ways.......

Puppy Love

Sometimes one finds a treasure out there and I found one in Barcelona. it's not a treasure of money, not of any value, unless one loves art, art in the streets. On my trip to Barcelona I found an old Dolk stencil in the dark and gothic part of the city.

The stencil is quite small and hard to find. It depicts a puppy riding R2D2. Dolk humor at it's best. Beside the Dolk stencil it's an old stencil by C215 too. Patners in crime :-).

I've seen the same stencil here in Bergen many times, as I walked by on my way to work every day. One day it was gone. The stencil was illegal and the new house owner painted over the stecil. I guess the owner regrets that today, since the value and recognition of Dolks work have raised noticeably over time. And I was sad because another piece of street art had disapeared from our streets. I never photographed the "puppy love" stencil in Bergen and I regret that today. On that day, I decided to start documenting street art by photographing the work in Bergen (and later rest of the world :-)). I think it's just a collectors instinct in me, and when I found the old Dolk stencil in Barcelona my heart was filled with joy. Even if the piece is not one my faviourite Dolk pieces, and either especially spectacular, big or advanced, seeing it in a small and narrow street in Barcelona, was like finding a hidden gem, a treasure.

In 2007 the Difusor Stencil Art Festival went down in Barcelona. Around 100 stencil artists from all around the world teamed up and sprayed a whole weekend away. Dolk participated on Difusor and I think that the "Puppy Love" stencil stems from that festival. Dolk did several pieces at the festival, but I think "Puppy Love" is the only one who has survived to present day.  

Street Art is temporal, some works lasts for a few hours and others last for years. One never knows.

Gaudi land

Barcelona is a real architectual dream. The creativity, the variety and the boldness of of the architectual landscape is amazing. Not just buildings, but also parks, plazas and public spaces have a variety and richness that makes your curiosity flourish. Barcelona is a piece of art. And of course, it's difficult to avoid the works of Gaudi.......

The Gaudi Lizard or mosaic dragon in Parc Guell

The architect Antoni Gaudi (1852 - 1926) was born in Catalonia and most of his 'portifolio' is in Barcelona. Tourists rush to see three of his famous works: Parc Guell, the Sagrada Familia Cathedral and Casa Batllo. And I am no exception.

 

Parc Guell started out as a development project. Eusebi Güell, a well known Catalan industrialist, acquired a large hilly plot in the Gràcia district. He wanted to turn the area into a residential garden village. In 1900 Güell commissioned his friend and protégé Antoni Gaudi with the development of the project. 

Parc Güell is one of the world's most intriguing parks. The park's colorful staircase and the fanciful pavilions that were designed by Antoni Gaudí look like they belong in some fairy tale.

Gaudi worked on the garden village until 1914 when it was clear the project was a commercial failure. Güell failed to sell a single house. In 1918 the city of Barcelona acquired the property and in 1922 it opened to the public as a park. And what a Park..... 

The view of Barcelona from Parc Guell is amazing

The Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, is one of Barcelona's most popular attractions. Construction on this church will continue for decades, but it has already become Barcelona's most important landmark.

The church is magnificent and a combination of a neo-gothic and modernistic style. Gaudi devoted his last years to the project, and at the time of his death at age 73 in 1926 less than a quarter of the project was complete.

I wonder if the church is finnished in my lifetime....

Casa Batllo was originally built between 1875 and 1877. In 1900 it was bought by the rich industrialist Josep Battló who commissioned Gaudí to tear down the old house and reconstruct a new one. Gaudi however convinced Battló to remodel the existing building. Between 1904 and 1906 Gaudi redesigned the facade, the roof and completely remodeled the interior.

What originated as a simple reform of a building already built, gave the opportunity to Gaudi to create one of his most poetic and decorative works. Gaudi built this amazing house in the local version of Art Nouveau called "modernisme," and the resulting structure is quite fanciful and unique.

The house's interior is as fascinating as its exterior. Gaudi paid great attention to detail when designing the wooden doors, stained glass windows, colorful tiles and he avoids straight lines at all cost.

I think Gaudi is more than an architect. He was craftsman, designer and above all a great artist. His use of soft organic forms and shapes, his colourful tiles and his broken tiles mosaic is unique and the result of his works are exceptional. He designed buildings, interior, furnitures, parks, public art etc. Gaudi is symbol of catalan creativity and boldness. Go to Barcelona!!

Love Interruption

In the middle of Stavanger city there is a huge wall with letters, a text made by Ben Eine, on of my faviourite street artists. I saw it first time late evening and it was dark but the wall was lighten up with spots.

I could make make words of the letters, and the sentence made just partly sense. The words and the sentence was poetic.

Months later, I'm sitting on the the light train home from work and listen to music as usual. I listen to Jack White and "Bing!!!" the connection is made. The lyrics of Jack White and writing on the wall in Stavanger. I've heard thet song "Love interruption" lots of times, but never made the connection before. It's a great song. If you look closely Ben Eine`s text is altered a bit from the original lyrics.

  

Love Interruption

I want love to: roll me over slowly,
Stick a knife inside me, and twist it all around.
I want love to: grab my fingers gently,
Slam them in a doorway, Put my face into the ground.
I want love to: murder my own mother,
Take her off to somewhere, like hell, or up above.
And I want love to: change my friends to enemies,
Change my friends to enemies, and show me how it's all my fault.

And I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me
I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me
Yeah I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me, anymore.

I want love to: walk right up and bite me,
Grab a hold of me and fight me, leave me dying on the ground.
I want love to: split my mouth wide open,
And cover up my ears and never let me hear a sound
I want love to: forget that you offended me,
Or how you have defended me when everybody tore me down
Yeah and I want love to: change my friends to enemies,
Change my friends to enemies, and show me how it's all my fault.

Yeah I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me
I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me
Yeah I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me, anymore.