The final two artists have been announced as part of Nuart which made its long-awaited return to Aberdeen earlier this month.
Adding to the line-up of already announced Helen Burr, KMG and the pioneer of “balloon graff” Fanakapan, is duo SNIK and Henrik Uldalen.
Internationally acclaimed artists SNIK, who took part in the 2018 festival, will be back for this year’s installment. They created one of the city’s most-loved murals, Hold Fast Hope, which faces out to the harbour from a wall on Virginia Street.
SNIK combine the creation of hand-cut, multi-layered stencils with haunting, ethereal portraiture, born from a dual male/female perspective. The duo’s work has been commissioned on walls all over the world, with their post-industrial scenes looming over passers-by in locations as diverse as Miami and Hong Kong.
Creative duo returning to Aberdeen after working on Nuart in 2018
Nik Ellis of SNIK said: “We cannot wait to come up. We painted in Aberdeen in 2018 for the first time and we also painted at the sister event in Stavanger in Norway.
“Aberdeen is a great city to paint it. It’s got beautiful architecture, people are friendly and it seems they really enjoy the artworks.”
Nik and Laura Perrett of SNIK, who are set to start working on their new mural early next month, will explore Nuart’s theme reconnect. They will focus on the theme of reconnecting with nature.
Henrik Uldalen is a self-taught artist whose creative production revolves around classic figurative painting, presented in a contemporary manner. He often explores the dark sides of life, nihilism, existentialism, longing and loneliness, juxtaposed with fragile beauty.
The atmosphere in his work is often presented in a dream or limbo-like state, with elements of surrealism and expressionism.
‘Rewarding’ when Nuart artists want to return to Aberdeen
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired which helped to organise the event, said: “The focus this year has been on bringing UK-based artists to the city over a period of time which helps to ensure that that we can deliver the productions as safely as possible.
“Henerik Uldalen and SNIK are talented artists who will bring interesting work to the walls of our city. It’s particularly rewarding when artists want to return to our city as this shows the warmth of the welcome they received first time round.”
Nuart Aberdeen is curated and produced by the Stavanger-based arts organisation Nuart, spearheaded by curator and director Martyn Reed.
He added: “Nuart Aberdeen captures the imagination of people in a special way and we leave it to Henrik and SNIK to create their art and the hope you the viewer will see something positive in what we’re trying to do.”
Nuart Aberdeen is also backed by law firm Burness Paull. Bob Ruddiman, partner in its Aberdeen office, said: “The murals created by artists during the festival make us all look at our buildings and the city in a different light.
“It’s just what’s needed to give everyone a lift, and will also act as a draw for visitors locally, nationally and globally – even if that’s on a virtual basis for now.”
Aberdeen-raised Katie launched this year’s festival
Katie Guthrie, also known as KMG, kick-started the festival on Friday June 11. She created two murals which can be found at the far end of Union Square car park on Palmerston Road and her other piece is located on a wall on the Bon Accord roof top garden.
Adrian Watson said: “Katie created her first solo pieces for the festival last week and it’s fantastic. With a nod to the seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen and concept based on the favourite childhood story Gulliver’s Travels, ‘Ken’ is sure to be a hit with locals and visitors to our great city.”
Local artists invited to contribute to world’s largest paste-up wall
Together with the six visiting artists, all of whom are based in the UK, work from a host of international artists will form part of a massive outdoor gallery in an attempt to produce the world’s largest official paste-up wall in the city centre.
Nuart’s creative project Stuck Up will see a wall spanning nearly half a kilometre running from the East Green into the Tunnels embellished with curated pieces from a selection of Nuart artists, archive revolutionary street art posters from partner flyingleaps, as well as submissions from artists, poets and other creatives.
Locals are also being encouraged to contribute to the spectacle, creating a collaborative paste-up wall which is hoped will result in it being the biggest of its kind in the world.
