How street art travels the world without moving.

What is art?

Or should the real question be: What is not art? People have debated this topic for centuries. Only to never fully agree on a single all-embracing definition.

Understandable, as it’s partly submitted to taste and we all know one can’t argue taste. And maybe an even bigger reason is the constant evolution during our time here on earth. What was the newest revelation yesterday is nothing more than the obvious tomorrow. And vice versa, what was unremarkable in the past might become the greatest creation of all time overnight.

These days anything can be perceived as art. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. It reminds me of a beautiful quote from the great Henry David Thoreau:

‘This world is but a canvas to our imagination.’

What street art taught me just now.

I love how this approach creates endless possibilities, but at the same time it made me feel overwhelmed while reflecting on what exactly to write about street art. Because what did I have to say about it? Me, who knows little to nothing about it. Or about art in general for that matter. (Talking about a real monthly writing challenge here Anne Bonfert.)

Here I was, searching for the right angle for my article, when one very specific mural painting not far from my actual home popped into my mind. My heart skipped a beat, just like it does every time I think about it or pass by the area where it’s located.

Why? Because this isn’t just some painting around the corner of where I used to live. This mural is a very beautiful reminder of a very ugly thing that happened over there the 4th of May 2019. It asks us not to forget. Not the lovely young girl who died there, not the unforgivable cruelty that took place nor the flaws in my countries justice system that sadly allowed it to happen.

Right there, right then something clicked. I suddenly understood that so often there might be an entire story behind the creation of an art piece that we know little to nothing about. Which is a shame because like I experienced firsthand with the mural in my neighboorhoud, by knowing even just a little part of this story, the art can become so much more powerful than what meets the eye.

By now, the thought train in my head was going 200 miles an hour. I wondered how many beautiful or intriguing stories behind street art will forever remain unknown. And looking at some of the pictures I took of street art I suddenly also wondered where else in the world people were keeping images of the same or different street art in their houses.

In came realisation number 2: The story leading up to the creation of street art is but a chapter in its entire tale. Because once it’s out there and visible to everyone, it travels further with whoever lays eyes on it and ‘takes it back home’. In their heart, their mind or in pictures or videos.

Emotion leads to creation leads to a new emotional journey.

Of course not every story behind the piece of street art is as loaded as the one from my neighbourhood. And it doesn’t have to be to create a beautiful continuation of its journey.

Sometimes for example, someone might just feel pure joy and the urge to create something cute and funny in order to maybe welcome guests. Like these jolly wooden creatures we stumbled upon arriving at the doorstep of our hotel at the Eifel park in Germany.

Could there be more to the beginning of their story. Sure … only I will never know. But what I do know is that they did travel back to Belgium with us and they keep being a happy reminder of good times abroad every single time we browse through our travel albums. Even now, looking at them, I can’t help smiling.

To know or not to know.

However small the beginning of the street art tale might be. I find it makes the art more interesting and often more beautiful or meaningful in a way by knowing more about it.

Take a look at the way a nearby community chose to brighten up the neighboorhoud. The result in itself is already awesome. But maybe there’s even more significance to the art work that’s displayed than we know.

I especially felt this personal urge for knowledge last weekend when we accidentaly passed by this years Street Culture Festival in Antwerp. Every year apparently, graffiti artists from all over the world turn this little street into an open art gallery. It’s a mix of colours, cultures and styles and although it’s absolutely beautiful to just take a stroll and enjoy the visuals as they are, I felt myself craving for some explanations. Some deeper knowledge on how the art came to life. The messages behind the paintings and what they hoped to transmit.

If the artist was present and wasn’t busy painting, you could ask some questions, but most of the murals were finished and not all the creators were there. Yes, I know, a touch of mystery can also add to the value of someone’s work. We don’t always need to fill in all the blanks. But what can I say … I just love hearing and reading good stories.

Where art goes around, there’s a tale to tell.

I wonder if I’m the only one so curious about how street art travels from the inner world of the creator to the outside world where it then can work its way back to the inner world of spectators.

Have you ever thought about the fascinating (sometimes infinite) journey (around the world) one piece of street art can take? How it goes around in peoples lives and might move thousands of hearts all around the globe?

Fascinating … isn’t it?

I want to thank the entire Globetrotter team (JoAnne, Adrienne, Jillian, Michele and Anne) for this months writing challenge as it really forced me out of my comfort zone. If you like writing challenges and haven’t got a clue what I’m talking about, take a look at the following article:

I loved reading other articles about street art and looking at pictures of art I’ve never seen before and might never come across in real life. If you want to embark on some art traveling yourself, here are some of the articles I really enjoyed:

She’s not only a great writer over here but she also creates street art herself and so the first article I wanted to read before typing my first words for this month’s challenge was the one from Jillian Amatt. Thanks to her contribution you’ll find yourself discovering endless different forms of street art. But mainly, be prepared to get blown away by Jillian's own stunning creations. Wow, she’s really multi talented.

By reading some more articles on street art I can tell most of us agree that just about anything can be interpreted as art (and I’m stating this as something positive). Yet somehow, Michael Rhodes managed to surprise me with moving art that I had never looked at as possible street art. I wouldn’t be surprised if you turned out to be surprised as well. Be sure to test it out by reading his story.