Aberdeen school pupils have joined forces with the Nuart street art festival to create one of the world’s largest chalk murals.
Nuart will officially launch tomorrow, but the Chalk Don’t Chalk event began at Marischal College today.
It is a mass public participation event to create the massive chalk mural in the college quad.
Over the weekend, members of the public can add their creations by turning at up at the quad between 11am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday.
This is the third Chalk Don’t Chalk event for Nuart Aberdeen, but organisers say it is by far the largest and most ambitious yet.
It is being led by the city’s acclaimed street artist KMG and will be carried out on the years “rewilding” theme .
Young refugees get involved
Meanwhile, young refugees from war-torn Afghanistan and Ukraine will team up with one of UK’s most acclaimed street artists to create an “empowering” Nuart mural.
Aida Wilde will work with pupils from St Machar, Dyce and Northfield Academies to transform the “gritty” wall on Crooked Lane into a thought-provoking work of art which will begin tomorrow.
The Iranian-born artist, educator and social commentator hopes her “largest collaboration ever” will inspire youngsters to explore their own creativity and identity.
Aida, who was herself a refugee when her family fled the Iran/Iraq war in the 80s, said she is looking forward to seeing what the pupils will come up with.
She said: “I think it’s really important to find out how these children are integrating into Aberdeen and into our society, how they are feeling and what’s making them belong.
“My work is all about inspiring, empowering, and giving people the tools to explore their own creativity. When this project was suggested, I thought it was perfect.
“Hopefully I can go in, inject some energy for these schools and everyone who takes part and give them a little boost, and feel that they can too be part of Nuart Aberdeen.”
The Nuart Festival will feature a number of street artworks around the city.
‘Rewilding’ Aberdeen with art
Aida will hold “energetic and fun” workshops on this year’s theme of the festival at the three schools to get youngsters to take on how best to “rewild” the city.
A total of 90 pupils will take part in the ambitious project, including Ukrainian refugees at Dyce Academy and Afghan refugees at St Machar.
Their finished work will present a collage, using photos of abandoned and derelict buildings taken by Aida both in Aberdeen and her native London as a starting point.
It was inspired by her previous visit to Nuart in 2017 when she placed a collage of a hybrid leopard-tiger on a boarded up and disused building in the city centre.
“That’s when I started thinking about how art can start taking over derelict, hidden areas and almost rewild it with art,” said Aida.
“This is going to be their art, so I hope they feel proud. I hope some of them might continue to carry on making work in that ilk and know that anything is possible.
“And I hope they have a sense of achievement and belonging.”
‘Nuart can also transform people’
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, hailed the collaboration between Aida and the local school pupils as a project that embodies the ideals of Nuart.
He said: “We talk often about the transformational power of Nuart Aberdeen but that goes beyond the stunning legacy of artwork which the festival leaves for the people.
“It can also transform people and give them new experiences and new ways of exploring their own creativity and their sense of identity and belonging.
“I hope all the young people who work with Aida discover a passion for art and what it can achieve for them and the communities they live in.”
Councillor Martin Greig, education convener and culture spokesman for Aberdeen City Council, said: “We can once again enjoy new work in various local places by artists and designers of international standing.
“Their imaginative creations add so much to our public life. Everyone can enjoy the artworks during the festival and into the future”.
The street festival will run from June 8-11. Tours of the festival will be running from Marischal College on Saturday and Sunday.
More information is available on the Nuart Aberdeen’s website.
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