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Nuart Aberdeen 2023
8 June – 11 June
Free
Nuart Aberdeen 2023 street art festival will burst into glorious life on 8 June. As one of the finest street art festivals globally, this award-winning event promises an unparalleled visual experience.
Running until 11 June, Nuart Aberdeen will transform the city centre into a sprawling canvas for 13 talented artists. These artists, hailing from various corners of the globe, will unleash their creativity on walls, turning them into breathtaking murals and captivating artworks.
Among the roster of exceptional artists are Brazilian street artist Thiago Mazza, Swoon from the USA, Aberdeen’s very own KMG and Jamie Reid, a pioneer in the artwork of the Sex Pistols and the punk movement.
The festival will adorn various locations across the city, with walls at the old Queen Street police station and prominent spots along Flourmill Lane, Crooked Lane, Thistle Lane, and Rose Street as the backdrop for these remarkable creations.
Nuart Aberdeen showcases extraordinary talent and innovative spirit, bringing more vibrant and thought-provoking street art to the city. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness this visual spectacle that will leave a lasting impression on Aberdeen’s artistic landscape.
The Artists
We’ve looked at the team heading to the granite city to leave their mark. Nuart Aberdeen will again feature a talented group. The line-up includes Brazilian artist Thiago Mazza, American artist Swoon, UK-based Stanley Donwood and returning favourites SNIK. We’ve taken a deeper look at the artists in another post, but here are the artists on their way to Aberdeen.
AIDA Wilde – Crooked Lane
A London-based printmaker and visual artist of Iranian origin, AIDA Wilde is an accomplished educator who founded the Print Is Power and Sisters in Print projects. Her studio-based serigraphs are collected worldwide and are known to push the boundaries of contemporary printmaking.
Eloise Gillow – Flourmill Lane
Gillow is a UK-based visual artist with an international reach. Her background in classical realist painting has led to her unique style that combines studio painting with public murals.
Escif – Rose Street
Hailing from Valencia, Escif began his street art career in the late 1990s. His work centres on redefining the city through his art, believing that life will always be more interesting than the art itself.
Jamie Reid – Crooked Lane + City Wide Treasure Hunt
A British artist and political activist, Jamie Reid gained prominence at Croydon Art College when he participated in the student movement of 1968. Reid’s most notable contribution to art and popular culture is his iconic album cover designs for the Sex Pistols.
KMG – Chalk Dont Chalk
Returning for her second visit as a featured artist to Nuart Aberdeen, KMG is known for her illustration, painting, and printmaking. Her art explores the mundane to the subversive and reflects a curious and often sarcastic perspective. Despite a healthy cynicism, her work is playful and raw.
Manolo Mesa – Blackfriars Street
Mesa is a Spanish artist who began painting graffiti with his brother in 2002. After studying Fine Arts in Seville, he created pictorial work on walls. Since then, he has lived in various cities, including Bilbao, Paris, and Perugia.
Murmure – Queen Street
Paul Ressencourt and Simon Roché are a duo known as Murmure, who met during their studies in Fine Arts. They initially specialised in different areas of art but later discovered their mutual interest in drawing and street art. Since 2010, they have collaborated on public space interventions such as murals.
Nespoon – Huntly Street
This street artist has been working since 2009. Swoon’s signature style is lace, incorporated into their work to explore harmony, balance and natural order. Social commentary is sometimes included in the artist’s work, and they have created murals, canvases and installations.
SNIK – Thistle Lane
Making their third visit to the city for Nuart Aberdeen 2023, SNIK is an internationally-acclaimed duo of artists known for their hand-cut, multilayered stencils. Their work is born from a male/female dual perspective, combining traditional craft with a progressive ethos.
Stanley Donwood – City Wide Treasure Hunt
Donwood is a British visual artist who is best known for his work with the rock band Radiohead. He has been working with the band since 1994 and has created some of their most iconic artwork, including album covers, posters, and merchandise.
Swoon – City Wide Treasure Hunt
Real name Caledonia Curry, Swoon is a Brooklyn-based street artist known for her immersive installations and community-based social justice projects. She has been active for the last two decades, using realistic and fantastical elements in her artwork.
Tamara Alves – Skene Street
Alves is a Portuguese visual artist and illustrator. She has always been interested in art that’s integrated into the world and fascinated by the aesthetics and urban context of the streets, leading her to present her artwork in public spaces.
Thiago Mazza – Frederick Street
The final artist for Nuart Aberdeen 2023 is Thiago Mazza, a Brazilian artist and self-taught painter. He began with graffiti writing, which sparked his interest in painting walls. He has since become one of the prominent figures in Brazilian muralism.
Where did Nuart Aberdeen come from?
In 2002, Martyn Reed, an artist and curator, founded Nuart in Stavanger, Norway. He was inspired by the street art festivals he had attended in Europe and sought to bring that same energy to Stavanger. But in 2017, Nuart expanded to Aberdeen.
Since its inception, Nuart Aberdeen has grown and evolved into one of the world’s most significant street art festivals. Each year, renowned artists participate in the festival, transforming the city’s streets and public spaces into vibrant works of art.
“I have heard other people say it is the best street art festival in the world – and it really is,” Martyn told us.
“Of course, I curate it, but to hear other people say that is the cherry on the cake. We do what we do anyway, we are authentic and do things for the right reasons, not for the accolades or ego, but, yes I would say it is the best street art festival in the world.”
Nuart Plus
As always, Nuart Aberdeen brings with it a programme of side events in Nuart Plus. This is a series of talks and events outside the physical creation of the artwork. As well as Street Art Walking Tours and Chalk Don’t Chalk and Marischal College, this year’s events are:
Thursday 8 June
Nuart Plus Kick-Off
Aberdeen Art Gallery, Cowdray Hall – 19:00-20:30
Friday 9 June
Nuart Plus Street Art Conference Day 1 – Trespass: Rewild
Aberdeen Art Gallery, Cowdray Hall – 11:00–17:00
Fight Club aka the Pub Debate
SPIN – 21:00–23:00
Saturday 10 June
Nuart Plus Street Art Conference Day 2 – Rewilding the City
Aberdeen Art Gallery, Cowdray Hall – 11:00–17:00
Closing Party: F*ck Art, Let’s Dance
SPIN – 21:00–01:00
A big draw for tourists
The festival has become a big draw for tourists, attracting many visitors who come to see the murals and explore Aberdeen’s streets. It has become one of the city’s most popular attractions and also a great starting point for discovering Aberdeen’s unique culture and history.
Nuart Aberdeen is a highly regarded, not-for-profit street art festival, widely considered the best of its kind worldwide. It is supported by partners Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen City Council and delivered by Reed Projects.
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About POST
Kevin Mitchell and Chris Sansbury founded POST. This was from a desire to cut through the noise to share the great things that happen in Aberdeen. They focus on community, culture and also the interesting people of the city. The local artists, businesses and charities; photographers, musicians and entertainers. These are the people that make a positive impact on our city every day. So they use video, audio, writing and social media to amplify the voices in our community. And to ultimately give a platform to Aberdeen folk to engage and tell their own stories.
Recent work includes coverage of Spectra 2023, interviews with We Are Here Scotland founder Ica Headlam; Paralympic gold medalist, Neil Fachie; Aberdeen rapper Chef and his push for success; an article about the pedestrianisation of Union Street; coverage of Nuart Aberdeen and TEDx Aberdeen, as well as coverage of the campaign to Save the Belmont.
We are independent and entirely self funded. We just about cover our costs, but if you would like to help support our work, you could buy us a coffee.