Gatekunst (Street Art)

Jun 21

While the nature of Norway is absolutely incredible, the dark days of winter and monochromic city facades can create a rather dull and lackluster feeling. Taking a practical and artistic approach, Norwegians use street art to brighten the city landscape and lighten spirits. Artwork may cover the entire side of a building or may just detail a door. Some art is whimsical and playful while other art promotes pensiveness. The paintings may be placed in a prominent place or subtly secured in an alleyway. You just never know where you’ll find a painting, portrait, or symbol! It gives the feeling of an urban treasure hunt.

Traveling as a Fulbright Rover, I usually arrived in my teaching towns the evening before classes. This helped to ensure that I knew the public transportation routes, but it also allowed time for exploring the city landscapes. That time, combined with time in the after school, provided plenty of opportunities to go hunting for street art.

I do not know the artists’ names for the images in this blog post, but I wanted to highlight some of my favorite street art from the cities and towns I visited in Norway. Enjoy!

ALTA