Drawing on the history of the old courtyards in Aalborg’s working-class neighbourhood, Bart Smeets aka Smates, sought to capture the sense of play and companionship that has brought these courtyards to life over the years.
In a playful spirit, the mural depicts a girl in a yellow raincoat and wellies, enthusiastically jumping into all the lovely puddles.
And that is exactly how several residents fondly recall spending their childhoods here.
About the mural the artist tells the following:
“When designing my murals, I always find it very important to know where they will be located.
A mural should be part of its surroundings and connect with the environment.
For this project, Lene Kirk from Kirk Gallery briefed me on the location and its history.
I received several old photographs of the residential area, which captured the atmosphere of the past very well.
It was also immediately clear that outdoor play and community life were once an important part of everyday life there.
I decided to use the buildings from the past as the background for my design, taking the viewer back in time.
They serve as a memory and a link to the past, allowing this piece of history to become part of the residential area once again.
I deliberately painted the background in grayscale as a visual representation of the past.
In the foreground, we see a child playing, symbolizing the present. I deliberately painted the child in warm colours. By depicting the child in colour, it is brought further to the foreground, enhancing the sense of depth in the composition.
The present and the past are brought together in a single composition: a mural that evokes positive emotions in those who still have fond memories of the past, while also giving them the opportunity to pass those memories on to their children.”
Big thanks to //Vivabolig, Loxam, PPG, Scandic Hotel, Cefe Ulla Terkelsen, London.
Photo | Fleron Fotografi
.