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Does Street Art, as the name suggests, belongs to the street? Is Street Art in Still Street Art? Well, I think it’s! If you are in Amsterdam, you should visit Straat, a museum that is devoted to street art. It is powerful in several facets: the building is a former ship courtyard (raw and industrial), the museum shows more than 150 works of art by 130 artists, and the various styles produce a pleasant cacophony of artistic noises. As you can see in the pictures, this museum is all about street art from the best.
Why do I like Street Art? It has no rules. Sometimes the freedom of expression is shown by an explosion of colors in which another artist has selected for a sensitive mix of lines and icons. Most works of art in Straat (Dutch for Street) attracted me and offer a combination of visual beauty and a contemporary (political) message. An explanation of the artist and his work accompanies each piece. They definitely offer added value for experience, but just watch to create their own interpretation. I mean, you will not find any explanations on the streets!
Urban aesthetics
Banksy, the most famous street artist of our time. But take a look at all (global) artists in Straat, all of whom create their own universe. Some are connected to nature, others are politically committed. And others have no message at all, they only create for the beauty of creation.
Road museum
Straat is a stunning visual experience, especially when it is dark outside and every work of art is illuminated. All works of art were created on site (!) And, as mentioned, the added value of context and information were provided. The museum lives in a former warehouse on the NDSM Wharf in Amsterdam Noord (north) and outside the building you will find great street art and graffiti. The area of Amsterdam Noord used to be very rough and industrially, but slowly turns into a modern residential area. Fortunately, the NDSM building (now a national monument) and the Straat Museum are here to stay!
I really enjoyed my visit to Straat. The entrance fee is EUR 17.50. Maybe a bit high for an average visitor, but remember that the ferry from the Amsterdam Central Station (Ferry F4) is free to the NDSM area. That saves you a lot with taxi fees … Road museum Has your own café with a view of the entire exhibition. And don’t forget to visit the end of the day when the night falls. Then Street Art is really illuminated.
Would you like to read more about Street Art? Here are still a few posts that you like:
