Looking back at 2022

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It’s December, which means: looking back at the past year. The preparations for 2023 are in full swing, but we’re also taking the time to proudly look back on 2022. Keep reading to discover our highlights.

The highest mural of Brabant
This year, we added fourteen new murals to our collection! Two of which are indoors, the rest can be found on the streets of Breda. From a mini library to a 38 meter high mural. In July, Joram Roukes made a mural on the side facade of a flat in the Heusdenhout neighbourhood. From a hanging bridge, he spent two and a half weeks working on a large flower still life, which symbolises the diversity and impermanence of the neighbourhood. Both for Joram and for us this project is a literal and metaphorical highlight. 

Photo by Rob Lipsius

Blind Walls Gallery Gallery
In our Gallery, which we opened in 2021, we regularly show new exhibitions of artists that have previously made a Blind Wall. But because of the pandemic, it hadn’t been possible yet to festively open an exhibition. This year we finally could! During four fun and well visited openings, visitors got to view and learn about the work of Thomas & Jurgen, Jeroen Erosie and Reskate. We also introduced the Walk-In Thursdays, during which you can visit the Gallery (without an appointment) every Thursday afternoon between 13:00 and 17:00.

Photo by Joost van Asch

Breda Jazz FestiWall
To celebratie the 50th edition of the Breda Jazz Festival, the organisation of the festival started a crowdfunding for a mural. The target amount was achieved very quickly and illustrator Joren Joshua started on a mural at the Nijverheidssingel. Breda Jazz is the oldest ánd biggest multi-day jazzfestival of Europe and the mural honours this.

Photo by Edwin Wiekens

Made You Look
On May 10th, we hosted a muralism conference with ‘wall talk beyond street art’. During this event, well known international muralists shared special anecdotes and gave insight into their work methods. During a breakfast session with our partners and relations of the Chassé Culture fund, we proudly unveiled the murals of Jan van der Ploeg, Guido de Boer and Jeroen Erosie.

Erosie’s mural is the first work within the ‘Blind Walls Changement’ project: a wall in the Strukton Foyer where a different artist will make a mural each year. The mural by Erosie is inspired by the architecture of the Chassé Theatre.

Photo by Rosa Meininger

Open Call
In May, the second Blind Walls Open Call took place. This offered makers the chance to develop their mural skills and experiment on a large scale. This year, we received 114 submissions, of which 8 got to make a mural on the Wallspot. The final winner was Floor Milou Smit, who made a a Blind Wall in the Heuvel neighbourhood two months later. Read more about Floor’s experience here

Photo by Rob Lipsius

Blind Walls Epic Stories part 3
Studio Anti-Held designed the third limited edition Blind Walls Epic Stories T-shirt. He took inspiration from a famous painting by Caravaggio from 1595, a portrait of the holy Saint Catherina. Anti-Held also created a mural of Saint Catharina, with which he transforms her to a figurehead of 40 years of archeology in Breda.

Photo by Rob Lipsius

Collaboration with Czech Centre
Czech illustrator Patrik Antzcak created a Blind Wall at the Stedelijk Gymnasium. The biggest source of inspiration came from Eduard Hendrik Antonius Guljé, who was the mayor of Breda from 1893 until 1907 and ensured re-greening and modernisation. The mural also connects to the ‘Green Gym’ project by the school and municipality. The mural was festively unveiled with Paul Depla (mayor of Breda) and Katerina Sequensova (ambassador of the Czech Republic).

The mural is part of an exchange programme with the Czech Centre Netherlands, as part of which Breda artist Rutger Termohlen created a mural in the Czech city of Pilsen.

Photo by Joost van Asch

Education
Via our murals we show the stories of Breda. During an education tour or workshop participants are interactively focused on streetart and other themes that relate to that. We offer various workshops, such as one about typography that teaches you how to make creative letters. During the workshop ‘Curator for a day’ you look for a suitable place for a mural and search for a story and artist that matches that place. In 2022, over 2500 students participated in our education programme. 

Photo by Joost van Asch

Blind Walls Film Fest
In the first weekend of November we organised the first edition of Blind Walls Film Fest with Chassé Cinema. A filmfestival dedicated to graffiti, murals and street art. For two days, enthusiastic visitors explored the world of streetart. We enjoyed premieres, classics and exhibitions. Additionally, every film started or ended with an interesting speaker, Q&A or panel discussion. We proudly look back on this successful first edition full of films, art, fun encounters and more. 

Photo by Joost van Asch

Of course a lot happened this year and every project was special. On this website you can find everything we did in 2022. For now, happy holidays and until you next year!

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