streetartmuseumamsterdam

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Welcome Frances!

On Tuesday 18th April, the Street Art Museum Amsterdam welcomed a new intern, her name is Frances Gibson. She is 22 years old, comes from Leicestershire and studies in London. 

She will be here with us until the 23rd June 2017. Frances does Fine Art at Central Saint Martins, University of Arts situated in the North of London. She discovered SAMA online after researching about Amsterdam's street art scene, she decided to sent an email to Anna who was immediately seduced by her energy and her experience with urban art and arts in general.

Fran’s creativity is currently being used for the upcoming exhibition «New Time and Us». 

Herewith is a little interview for you, to know a little bit more Frances.

I.H : Tell me more about Central Saint Martins’ School ?

F.G : Central Saint Martins is in North London, it’s a massive art school covering loads of disciplines; fashion, product design, drama etc. It’s a massive mixing pot for creativity. I do Fine Art, and specialize in Sculpture.

I.H : You chose the sculpture art, why  ?

F.G : I chose to do sculpture, because I love objects, I love collecting things, things from the street, forgotten, dirty objects left behind. If I see a lost glove, I like to think about who owned it, how long it’s been lost, whether it’s past owner is missing it etc.

I like the hands-on aspect of sculpture, and the process of creation. My work always comes from the street, which is why I have developed an interest in street art.

I.H : Where your love  for urban art comes from ?

F.G : My practice revolves around the street and the pedestrian. Over the past year I have begun to think more about street art and graffiti. I love discovering a city’s hidden secrets, you turn a corner and you find something new; I’m finding this particularly true in Amsterdam.

The street hosts so many different people daily; giving street art the most diverse audience possible. I celebrate free art, and freedom to make art.

I.H : What was your first felling when you arrived at the Street Art Museum Amsterdam ?

F.G : I had done my research online about SAMA, and could see it was an exciting project that was still growing. What I didn’t realize until I arrived, was just how inviting and enthusiastic the team are. I knew from the word ‘go’ that this was something I wanted to be part of.

I.H : What did you expect from your experience at the SAMA, and what would you like to bring, to share ?

F.G : I hope to be of use to SAMA, and look forward to being part of it’s development. I can already see that SAMA is going to teach me a lot, and I hope to share and develop my skills here.

As you can see she fits right in the SAMA’s dynamic and our little Crew already adopted her.

Text by Ilona Horvath

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Instagram Community Members Meeting - The Video

Thanks to our reporter from the tranches Ilona Horvath, we are happy to share with you a recap of Instragrammers at SAMA :)

15 girls from Instagram’s Community had a little tour, and thanks to their creativity and energy one of our walls is now colourful and at the image of the community, Instagram and the SAMA. They enjoyed the event and were under the charm of the museum: concept, people and place. Here the video of their visit.

Text: Ilona Horvath

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Instagram Community Members and Street Art

When Anna told us that Instagram are coming for a get together with their Dutch community members to the HQ Gallery of Street Art Museum Amsterdam - we did not know what to expect. 

We set up the food, drinks and the materials and waited.  Some minutes before half past three, 16 beautiful girls started arriving shortly from Rotterdam, Leiden and other cities. The girls have huge following, with some reaching 1,1 million followers, and are young artists and creatives. None of them knew each other. Each one have got their own specialisation: photography, drawing, cosplay, painting, calligraphy, fashion. 

Eva and Berni from Instaragram introduced the event and location, and Anna has given a mini-tour through SAMA Collection. On return, the girls started painting. First on the sheets and eventually on the mural. The decided to depict the Instagram new logo which turned into a beautiful wall. During the discussion it was interesting to note that they did not want something breathtaking but something which represent them, their passion for community and creativity. 

The background of the wall is colourful and is representative of the gradient of the real Instagram logo. For us, the exiting part was to see the new tricks and apps and features on Instagram. We learned to make boomerang videos and time laps edits in a space of an hour. It was also interesting to talk about why they prefer Instagram to Facebook, and why Instagram is a Real Community to them.

Our favourite elements are an ‘Instagram Camera’  surrounded with houses with street art on it! and «Creativity is not a competition» slogan written in Calligraphy style. Wonderful end to a long week and a sunny Friday :)

Text & Photos: Ilona Horvath

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

iAmsterdam 24H Nieuw-West - Street Art Museum Amsterdam Experience

The program will consist of the 

On-going exposition New Time & Us

Calligraffiti Workshop with TeamBlazin

Bike tour through Street Art Museum Amsterdam’s collection

Walking tour through Street Art Museum Amsterdam’s collection

You can find the details here: http://www.iamsterdam.com/nl/uit-in-amsterdam/uit/24h-amsterdam/24h-west and https://www.facebook.com/events/201366323700589/ .

Alternative Attraction in Alternative Amsterdam!

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Kaagbaan Experience - Street Art and Schiphol

When we got a phone call from our favourite client at Schiphol Real Estate SPOT Community, it was a no-brainer that Street Art Museum Amsterdam would be a perfect match for the event: Kaagbaan Experience. See what we managed to achieve in 2 days :)

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

FOAM - Amsterdam Vertelt - programma in Slotermeer

Amsterdam Vertelt brengt twee generaties in contact met kunst en cultuur, hun creatieve talenten én met elkaar. In vier Amsterdamse wijken maken buurtbewoners kennis met fotografie en schrijven: twee kunstvormen die bij uitstek geschikt zijn om verhalen te vertellen. Amsterdam Vertelt heeft als doel om nieuwe ontmoetingen te stimuleren in de Amsterdamse wijken. Er zijn vier programma’s op verschillend niveau, hieronder meer informatie per programma.

Programma Amsterdam Vertelt Slotermeer

Masterclass Fotografie

Onder leiding van fotograaf Maarten Tromp leer je meer over licht, compositie binnen het thema straatfotografie.

Data/Tijd:

Woensdag 17 en 24 mei 13.30-16.30 uur, voor 16 t/m 20 een 65+

Masterclass Schrijven

Schrijver Abdelkader Benali daagt je uit om een eigen kort verhaal te schrijven over de buurt.

Data/Tijd:

Vrijdag 12 en 19 mei 13.30-16.30 uur, voor 16 t/m 20 en 65+

Vertel jouw verhaal

Wissel verhalen uit met de jongere generatie en ga samen, met een camera,  op onderzoek uit in de wijk!

Data/Tijd: woensdag 17 en woensdag 24 mei, van 9.00-11.30 uur.

Voor 65+’ers, zij worden gekoppeld aan 8e groep leerlingen van de Slootermeerschool.

Beeld en taal

Leer nieuwe Nederlandse woorden door te kijken naar fotografie. Natuurlijk ga je zelf ook aan de slag met een camera.

Data/Tijd: Vrijdag 12 en 19 mei 9.30-11.30 (groep 1) of dinsdag 16 en 23 mei 10:30-13:00 (groep 2).

Voor 55+, deelnemers worden gekoppeld aan leerlingen van Het Plein.

De programma’s vinden allemaal plaats in OBA Slotermeer en meedoen aan de workshops is gratis.

Meer informatie of aanmelden via www.oba.nl/amsterdamvertelt, of stuur een e-mail naar studio@foam.org. Bellen kan ook: 020-5516500 (dit is het nummer van Foam).

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Storytelling - New Time and Us

More information is coming soon! Stay tuned!

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPYjb9fKWOg)

Looking forward to 2017 already!

Alternative location for celebration! 

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

ORTICANOODLES “6000 STROKES”

During the week of 3rd April, SAMA hosted a return of the ver special guests from Milano: ORTICANOODLES. Indeed a little part of Orticanoodles’ Family was at the Street Art Museum Amsterdam for a new project, following the success of the 'Tulips', an artwork from 2016.

In this occasion Orticanoodles gave me an opportunity to interview them. Here’s the result!

IH: First tell me more about Orticanoodles, it’s more than a duo? It’s a family…

WW: Today Orticanoodles is just like a big family, we are a dozen, all with the same goal: to paint large walls in public contexts and fun together.

IH: Your artworks : You switch from spray to acrylic whilst remaining faithful to stencil technique, why ? And what does it entail or mean for you?WW: Our murals are trying to recover from our tradition those classic techniques that were always used in the course of Art history, we work primarily with the technique of dusting dating back to 1500, we prefer to work with brushes because it's much more relaxing and less toxic sprays. IH: Does teaching urban design makes an impact on your work on the street?

WW: Relate with the students has definitely helped me to be able to coordinate projects shared with many people, my job as a teacher blends perfectly with the role of "social artist", moreover, each of us is the the sum of own experiences! IH: When did you meet Anna? What do you remember about it? 

WW: We met Anna for the first time about 10 years ago, we made many projects together, never a problem! Anna is very careful about planning and production, every time she has a wall to paint we are happy to develop the project together.

IH: In the last 4 months you have completed two monumental artworks : 'Tulips" in Geuzenveld and "6000 STROKES" in Schiphol. What are you thoughts about these?

WW: Both artworks have dealt with the floral theme, in Tulips we did a tribute to these flower, symbol of Amsterdam city and Turkish neighbourhood of Geuzenveld, and they are represented as almost an abstract to the area. The theme includes symbolic references to Bauhaus and De STIJL.

In Schiphol we have represented a biodiversity, and in this specially case we painted Calle flowers, a symbol of elegance, and Rose flowers, symbol of love and passion. Thank you to them. The artwork denote from the city and the landscape, it’s fresh and natural. 

Text and Interview by Ilona Horvath

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Calligraffiti, The Grand Finale

So, here is a little clip about the Calligraffiti Grand Finale!

To understand the sequence of the events we must to go back to Tuesday of the 21st March.  On the morning filled with sunshine and warm weather, TeamBlazin has been busy with preparation of the last workshop with St Henricus School.  At SAMA’s HQ he put on the colourful, very representative of the is sunny day, background on the two bigs banners. 

Then, on Tuesday 28th March on week later, everybody who participated in the previous 2 workshops in the classroom, aka about 20 children, the artist, and us,  walked to  Tante Ali, a neighborhood place = buurthuis, to created the final project together.

The deliverables of the final project were 3 things:

1. A collage consisting of 4 little banners, which the kids cut and pasted for their school memories

2. A pre-selection of words written during the workshops for the “New Time and Us” exposition opening on 5th May in SAMA HQ

3. Two banners we coloured earlier hung on the fences around the construction work, filled with words the kids associated with their new school building.

For the two banners, TeamBlazin and Roos Ootsdam, the teacher, selected some specifics words about renewal, future, pedagogy, and what the new building and mentality of the school represents from the children associations.

The words are written in black and pink. The banners will surround the new school building which is now under construction.

Personally, I will never forget this experience. The contact with the children was pleasant and enlightening. They enjoyed it as much as we did. The meeting with TeamBlazin was great both on artistic and personal levels. I discovered a form of art that I did not know before, and for which I’m quite sensitive. And I got my name written by the big TeamBlazin! Success for all!  :))))

Photos and Text by Ilona Horvath

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0ZCL83-D7A)

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Street Art Museum Amsterdam is more than a tour, it’s a Collection

“It is an exceptional possibility to watch a new museum being born. Out of nowhere, out of a crazy idea of someone hyperactive and overflowing with emotions, words, ideas, knowledge, energy (the walking speed is ...!!!!), the change that this museum brings to the neighbourhood is incredible. It is also a new concept of an art collection: instead of collecting existing exhibits, the museum is providing the artists with space and materials to create their masterpieces, that will not last forever but will disappear with the next reconstruction or repainting or even rain... Artists are coming here from all over the world. Inspiring!”  Natalia Demers

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Street Art Walks in Spring

Blooming Amsterdam Nieuw-West is boasting with more than 60 artworks spread only between Geuzenveld and Slotermeer.  Perfect time for the bike tours, especially when ЮРИЙ, aka HOPNN, is in town with a series of his new paste ups!

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Last week at Street Art Museum Amsterdam

The week started with smile and great pride for all of us in Street Art Museum Amsterdam as  New York Times published the article by John Hanc who showcased some innovative ACTIVIST museums, amongst which was SAMA. 

For him, there is a new era of museums «Museums without walls». The collections are presented in an original way, minorities or underrepresented demographics or issues are in the heart of all four projects, art is thought with and for a territory and its inhabitants, the exhibitions’ places are diverse and varied. The structures, the reception buildings which are more kinds of lofts (cocoon’s work place) that allow to have a point of fall for the tourists, trainees, "employees" … Here the museums are a less « conventional »  cultural institution, there are not necessary walls, the exhibitions are out, in situ, in connections with the spaces in which they are exposed and said something about it. 

STREET ART MUSEUM AMSTERDAM 

Similarly, there are no gallery interiors at the Street Art Museum in the gentrifying Nieuw-West section of Amsterdam. Aside from an office maintained for legal reasons (and as a home base for student interns), the museum exists as an assemblage of 90 commissioned works, across a 1.5-square-mile area, linked only by tours that it organizes. The artwork is on walls, meters, sidewalks; all of it was placed with the consent of local residents.The Street Art Museum was founded in 2012 by Anna Stolyarova, a native of Ukraine. When she moved to Amsterdam in 1998, Ms. Stolyarova, a digital-advertising producer, became immersed in the city’s street art culture, much of it based around Nieuw-West. “This gave me an idea to create something I had not seen yet,” she said. “A ‘museum’ devoted to this form of art. ”While the museum lacks a permanent home and has a loose structure, it is fixed in its purpose. “Our focal point remains unchanged,” Ms. Stolyarova said. “To use the urban space and art on the streets to engage and entice.”

Two museums particularly made an impact on me in this article : THE EMPATHY MUSEUM and its exhibit «A mile in my shoes» in 2015. In the form of a walk, you learn about the fates of some people by literally walking in their shoes,  « 10-to-12-minute-long recordings narrated by the shoes’ owners ». For the most sensitive to hygiene I specify that the shoes are disinfected each time … ;) and MUSEUM OF JOY, Jericha Senyak, the founder imagine series of events around San Francisco from the end of 2013, celebrates the experience of joy through happenings, stories … put extraordinary in the ordinary.

To read the entire article : https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/14/arts/design/museum-of-homelessness-london-no-building.html?_r=0 

Remember, for the duration of the exhibition «Once upon a time in Amsterdam», Matteo our Italian curator organised a series of free MOVIE NIGHTS. Last Tuesday, 14 March, it was the second evening. 

AMO-TE LISBOA - An ignominious street a̶��r̶̶t̶̶ movie by CANEMORTO

Summary :  

Three painters worship a cruel dead-dog divinity, called Txakurra, which gives them the power to paint together as a single person, hitting public walls in order to spread its cult. When the international career of the trio is taking off, receiving commissions for huge wall paintings, the Txakurra orders them to cancel their commitments and go to Lisbon, the rising European capital of street art. They must stay in the city for two months and paint brutally in the streets without any authorization. The three friends are desperate, they know that their promising career will be fucked up forever, but they are too frightened of receiving a terrible punishment from the malicious god…

In the category of the «absurd», it’s a kind of documentary but less journalism ground than the first one «Style Wars». Illegality, vandalism, activism, the brut aspect of the street art is treated here with a lot of humour : from the crazy moment with Txakurra, to the comments of the passent who do not fear to say their impressions in front of the camera, this brings the voltage to the movie. For me, the purpose of the artists, and the movie was to showing the creation process, yes, but also and everything to questioning the supervisory device, control, power against activists : 

Will they be stopped by the police? 

Who will prevent the police, after how long, what consequences?  

Activism is at the heart of this movie. What moment makes sense for these artists : people’s reactions, maybe, it’s fun, when they are arrested, yes that’s is the purpose of the quest : Sow trouble in a society too clean, where art is under the control. Here neither hatred nor violence. The last action must be grandiose, Txakurra wants to mark the spirits, to enter the history of the activism. Moreover the choice of the city is important to understand the impact of their actions, and the power of this movie: to do vandalism in Lisbon the rising European Capital of Street Art is a risk to give a bad image of street art which is already present… so well done gentlemen, I bow! I had to step back on what I had seen, and now I could say: I like it! 

The end of the week was fun and melancholy at the same time : Thursday, the 16th March, all the SAMA’s Team said goodbye to Matteo, our young and sparkling curator from Italy.  

He started his internship in January, and now he returns to Florence to finish his master, and at the next of his collective «Progeas family», head full of projects.

In the context of his internship, he organized among other its own exhibition which is temporary but that noone will forget: «Once upon a time in Amsterdam», with the Florentine’s artist Exit.Enter, a partnership with his collective, obviously with the support if the Street Art Museum Amsterdam and Anna. It was a cultural and human collaboration and meeting of passionate styles. 

For the party, Anna prepared a delicious meal, some Italian songs resonated, although everyone were already nostalgic the good mood was a great guest this evening. For my part, I know him just since few weeks, but I must to admit that his departure made left me a little bit sad.

Text by Ilona Horvath

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Johan Cruyff by Street Artist Uriginal (2013)

Always great to get a tag from someone who spots our art in the media!  

Yes, Gemeente Amsterdam has used Street Art Museum Amsterdam’s artwork from 2013 in Geuzenveld, Nieuw-West, by Uriginal (Barcelona) to commemorate the untimely departure of Hero #14 - 24 March. The image is used as a call to action asking the public to tell their story of what Johan Cruyff meant to them.

“When you stop a person on a street in Barcelona, and ask them what they know about Amsterdam, they will tell you:

a) Johan Cruyff

b) Marijuanna

c) Van Gogh

Well, as you know I was not allowed to paint (b), so here you have it: Gogh Van Cruyff.  The other reason I chose Johan’s image is that I noticed in the last week painting here everyday that many people where AJAX clothes, and Johan is Ajax :)” , commented Uriginal about the piece in 2013. 

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

When Sotheby’s Came to SAMA

At Street Art Museum Amsterdam we have a tradition - every year we host a group of future experts on art and business from Sotheby’s Master School. This year is the third time when some 20 (out of 90) people join the experience of street art in situ.

On Wednesday, the 8th March, the entire team of SAMA put the dishes in the big ones on the occasion of the exceptional coming of 20 students of the prestigious Institute of Art Sotheby's based at London. 

All are in the Master Degree "Art Market", a unique formation of its kind. The business aspect and the artistic aspect are studied together. 

«We study everything, finance, marketing, law, from legal sight of art, to business sight of art, how different institutions operate.» There are more focus about « business art » than « art’s history ». These are the auctioneers of tomorrow. Their training is different from those in France, here the Master is done on one year either (2 semesters), and not on 2 years (4 semesters) as in France. Some of them could pursue this master's degree by specialising in the third semester. Their visit is an option in their Master: whilst visit to Amsterdam’s RIJKSmuseum is compulsory in the afternoon, in the morning the students are free to choose what else to see in Amsterdam. Some are curious, having decided to travel in Europe, in the heart of Art and Business of it, on how different institutions are managed. There are 90 students, out of which 20  decided to have a tour of the Street Art Museum.

«They love it, I heard a few people saying “I want this at home on my wall” or “Why have you not made a t-shirt out of this image yet, I would buy it”- that’s not a bad sign. Also this form of art is interesting because there are no precedents, many things are not defined, which makes more freedom for those entering the Art&Business scene.» comments, Anna Stolyarova

Anna conducted the tour but was forced to return to the SAMA’s HQ in the middle of it because of a really bad weather. On their arrival at the museum, a delicious brunch made up of mini sandwiches for all tastes, a plate of fresh fruits, some delicacies, not forgetting the hot drinks whose have a retrogressive success awaited for them! Anna continued a kind of «intimate tour». She talked about some books, some memorable meet with artists. Anna gave a tour of «Once upon a time in Amsterdam» as well - our temporary exhibition from the Italian artist Exit.Enter, and obviously about inhabitants, territory whose at a part of her as woman of the Nieuw-West and founder of the Street Art Museum Amsterdam. It was different to what the students are used to, but all were listening and enjoying with passion! When a better weather came back, they about to leave SAMA but insisted on Anna introducing the masterpiece in our collection «Glory» by Pez and Danny Recal, also known as “milkmaid”. The joke stayed with us, that whilst the real Milkmaid is in Louvre, the only way to visit her twin sister in Amsterdam is in Nieuw-West on the street :) 

I talked with some students (Lucile, Jess, Bruno, Natacha, Patrick), that was important for me to understand who they are, their courses, and their point of view about Street Art which is apparently far from their field of study. Lucile told me that every year there are between 2 and 3 new arrivals in the street art market, but it is a difficult art to market, the Street Art is not in a gallery or museum but is necessarily outside and so obviously there is not a strong base of collectors. All told me in different ways that Street Art «tame» the city, tame the population. Street Art tries to establish contact with the inhabitants.

"It can be the same image, but the meaning is completely different" Bruno took the example of a work of Banksy, it will not have the same impact depending on where it is exposed, in a bank or in an embassy, for example. In Amsterdam, and especially in the Nieuw-West, Street Art is intimately linked to the inhabitants. It’s not like at Berlin where «Street Art is everywhere, it’s like to much» or in Brixton (London) where «it is quite a big centre for Street Art», in those two places it’s more global art, it’s not targeted.  In Street Art Muesum Amsterdam ‘this form of art’ is in perpetual movement, evolution, adaptation linked to an environment and a given population.

It was a nice moment for everybody, to be honest something exceptional for me, as I’m not really sure if I meet again some people from this prestigious Institute, but more - it was an international cultural morning! 

«First time I did something like that, in the city, we could make the visit alone but it is interesting and to know the anecdotes.»

«These are stories of her, Anna, not generics, not stories she learned in books and spit out.»

«Much focus on the local community, about commentary of this neighbourhood, social commentary (…) interested to see how people organise their life around this works.» 

«Anna’s passion is incredible, really good example how you can educate people about street art ». 

«I would describe it as crazy. Just crazy.»

Text by Ilona Horvath, Photos by Manon Faure-Gignoux

[streetartmuseumamsterdam]

Street Art and Calligraffiti - Write Your Name

Last Tuesdasy, the 7th March, I met an artist whose generosity and finesse could not leave you insensitive. Daan Wille, alias TeamBlazin, is a calligrapher and visual artist from Hoofdorp. During a workshop in a school in collaboration with the Street Art Museum Amsterdam, I had the chance to see him work and experience how he managed to transmit his art to 22 children whose eyes were illuminated from the first stroke of pen. 

The exercise was simple: write your name. The artist made a demonstration, and then encouraged the children to tame the pen and the paper by themselves. Then he went to see them one after the other to write it with the precision and agility that preceded it - stroke by stroke. When the leaves were recovered at the end of the session, the imagination of the children was revealed: dragons, magic mushrooms, birds, robots ... that's why the artist likes to work with children: «children are pure and true». 

TeamBlazin commented that out of the 22 children maybe 5 have a real talent, and in consequence those were more concentrated and applied, than the others, and for him that is already good, a victory. They will not forget this morning. «It’s a small effort for a great reward» . Daan also likes to be back to school because is a way for him to practice, to improve and transmit, here it takes on a special resonance since the public is young and at the beginning of the school life. For TeamBlazin: «Art is of course very important at school, and everywhere, even in the bathroom, in fact the best ideas are found in the bathroom».  Children enjoyed this morning, and all are eager to meet the artist next week - from strokes to words!

Street Art Museum Amsterdam and TeamBlazin - love from the first sight «We never forget the first person who trusted you, and who gave you a chance. We are know each other now for 2 years. We also have many things in common: we enjoy making people smile and happy. It’s something priceless.». 

“The first workshops with SAMA goes back 2 years ago now. The response of the people was very enthusiastic. Daan is a very talented man, and as he becomes known, from Amsterdam to New York, he makes his name and establishes his audience. Our role is to shed the light onto the path. This time, as part of De Alliantie Struikbuurt Project, Street Art Museum Amsterdam were invited to engage the local residents with a program of activities. One of the Mix is what has become a standard ‘Calligraffiti Workshop’ with TeamBlazin. In this case, together with TeamBlazin we shall work with the various ages of the St Henricus school students to create 2 banners which will be placed around the new building representing new learning methods! - reflects Anna Stolyarova, founder and managing director Street Art Museum Amsterdam”, echoes Anna Stolyarova, SAMA founder and managing director.

«I love lettering, it allows you to write a letter in 100 different ways», says TeamBlazin. I can easily say that TeamBlazin that it is a “self made men”: he left school at the age of 18 - he could not really connect himself to the system, the classic school studies, he would rather dream of the new horizons - he likes nature and thrills. Skateboarding and snowboarding, for example, lead him to several competitions in Europe. Later, he worked as florist as well as in a coffeeshop, and one day he decided to organise some parties, but for party, as you know, you need to have flyers and posters, so he started to study photoshop, illustrator and all the professional software in general. His dexterity and his talent attracted curiosity of others, so friends began to ask him to make ‘designs’ for them. In 2000, he decided to open his own company: Blazin Industries, but it wasn’t until 2009 that he immersed himself in practicing calligraphy - a movement that rose from graffiti art, custom lettering mixed with logo types. Daan does not consider himself a street artist even if he sometimes works on streets or with street art projects. He has got more than one influences and does not lock himself in a specific art movement. Thus it is TEAM Blazin, for it feels like a team. 

«Team» because of the support around him too, the people who believe in him - he never feels alone. It’s like a spiritual team, besides, he likes to draw the parallel between calligraphy and «yoga». Calligraphy is a special moment when the body and the mind are in symbiosis «I was too digital, I wanted to find crafts». The term Calligraffiti - an art form that fuses calligraphy and graffiti - is a term in tribute to the artist that TeamBlazin has admired for years: Niels Shoe Meulman, known as «Shoe», who revolutionised the art of writing in 2007. 

According to TeamBlazin everyone can do it, and with this new form of art he finds a balance between writing (from the very essence of calligraphy on paper) and digital (through vectorisation on professional software). 

Once at the SAMA’s HQ, he has the kindness of calligraphy the first name of my French colleagues, and me, we all leave with our personalised art of work! 

There will be two more workshop like this one! I will be there for you, and of course active on social networks to share with you some small moments. Just here the link on TeamBlazin’s website:  http://www.blzn.com : you can follow him on Facebook and Instagram. Trust me, it’s fun to watch!

Text and Images by Ilona Horvath