The following article is regarding the action group “Street Art 911” which is established in Bergen, Norway.
It started on a Thursday. The clock was approaching late on that cold winter night back in 2017, people were happy in Bergen, Norway. Ready to hit the sack. A message ticked in on the phone telling that somebody had tagged a local hotspot with obnoxious tagging.
“Can someone please do something about it?” …
it screamed at me as the next txt hit the screen.
“I’m on my way. Anybody else?”
Two of us jumped in the car. Loaded the tag-mobile with cans and cameras and hit the road, heading for the hotspot, a pedestrian tunnel running under the University hospital. Called a friendly doc while rushing to the scene, instructing him to contact the security … “that friendly tagging was hitting the tunnel”. As we came into the tunnel, the first artist was already working the walls.
“Street Art 911” was born
We worked all night, into the next day, the tunnel is a 600 m hotspot for writers and painters. Lovely stuff on the walls.
Since then we have established an action group ready to deploy when needed. Our “Street Art 911” is a 24/7 action platform with the sole purpose to add something nice over malicious tagging … as in racistic, xenophobic, homophobic or religiophobic.
Got asked about this “Street Art 911“ of ours … “Are there no street artists writing malicious shit?” Really had to think … couldn’t name one in my head. Have met artists, many genres, many countries, be it worldwide … they all are conscious people which do not have any of the “phobic” attitudes which make them tag “bad shit” on walls.
So who you gonna “call? Your local “Street Art 911”
If not there… make it happen!
Credits to those who make this happen: _forglem_meg_ei_, Øistein Jakobsen, Street Art Bergen
Cover: “The devil with a can” by AZYL
We from ASA love to see how creative street artists handle with this kind of crap on the streets. Keep them coming. Here some more great examples:
