This year, the Rotterdam edition of the world’s most famous street art festival will go down on a new location. From 5 to 12 September, various street artists from all over the world will paint on the walls of the Feijenoord district during POW! WOW! Rotterdam. They will make art on buildings and objects in this multicultural neighborhood. A neighborhood with an abundance of street art possibilities. Besides the new location of this free festival, the organization also announces the first three artists.
“It looks like we will have a very nice fourth edition of POW! WOW! Rotterdam in Feijenoord. Although we are proud of the previous edition that we organized with the covid safety measures, we are very happy that we can now offer a large selection of murals and a week program full of activities as usual,” says festival director Dave Vanderheijden.
After two years of bringing color to the Afrikaanderwijk, this year the murals will be painted in Feijenoord. “We can’t wait to get to work in the neighborhood. Because we needed permission from local residents for some of the locations, we spoke to many people in person beforehand. The vast majority were very excited about the upcoming murals. It’s really seen as a gain of culture in the neighborhood.”
ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER EUROPE ARE COMING TO ROTTERDAM
More than 10 artists will create unique murals in Feijenoord over the course of a week. Visitors can see new works by INSA (UK), HALFSTUDIO (PT) and Rotterdam’s own Ox-Alien (NL), among others. The organization will bring back the VANS & CANS concept also. During the closing festival day on September 12, special vehicles will again be painted by various artists at the Afrikaanderplein.
OX-ALIEN EXHIBITS IN ‘DE MARKTHAL’!
As a kickoff of POW! WOW! Rotterdam 2021, the Rotterdam graffiti artist Ox-Alien will exhibit in the Markthal, from July 15 until the end of September. Since 2004 it has been impossible to imagine the streets of Rotterdam without the little, distinctive pink monster. And soon the character will also be temporarily on display in the exhibition gallery in the biggest indoor market of Rotterdam. The exhibition can be visited for free during the opening hours of the Markthal.
FROM HAWAII TO ROTTERDAM: POW! WOW! WORLDWIDE
The origins of street art festival POW! WOW! lies on the outskirts of Hawaii, where the drab suburbs were transformed by artists into a beloved open air gallery. Street art has changed not only the walls, but also the morale of the residents.
After several successful editions on the island, POW! WOW! expanded to locations such as Los Angeles, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Guam. Meanwhile, European cities have been added.
Rotterdam had the honor of hosting the first European edition in 2018. Like the other editions, the murals, both in the Vierhaven area and in the Afrikaanderwijk, set the tone for the district where dull buildings were turned into colorful art. The surprising element that street art has, and the free associations it evokes always creates new forms of interaction with the public. In addition, it often changes the perception of the public on the outdoor space.
POW! WOW! Rotterdam is once again part of the Rotterdam Street Culture Weekend. The organization is proud to once again join this manifestation that is so important for the inclusive development and visibility of street culture in the city.
POW! WOW! Rotterdam 2021 is made possible by our sponsors:
Gemeente Rotterdam, Rotterdam Festivals, Riwal, Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie, Rotterdam Street Culture Weekend, De Nieuwe Lichting, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Pictoright, Elise Mathilde Fonds, Montana Cans, Banlieue, Monster