Van Eyck Street Art

The Spanish artist Isaac Coral makes statuettes inspired by the panels with the portrayals of Adam and Eve. There are 15 miniature couples scattered throughout the city center along the street, high above a doorway, on the windowsill, etc.

Isaac Cordals works can be found in the streets of London, Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, ​​Brussels, ... You have probably walked past them without noticing anything. The statuettes are tucked away on facades, electricity cables, drains and other unexpected places. In this way the artist emphasizes the loneliness and isolation of modern times. His work is a critical reflection on our behavior.

Since the end of August, the first Van Eyck wall painting by the Argentinian artist Hyuro has adorned the corner of Bij Sint-Jacobs. Hyuro is known for her dreamlike, surrealistic compositions in which women often play the leading role. The soft colors in her work give her pictorial style an intimate and delicate atmosphere. She also remained true to her recognizable style for her interpretation of the Mystic Lamb on the facade of the antique shop Dino Antiques.

With the sheet, which covers three people, Hyuro makes the link with the rich fabrics and robes that can be seen on the Ghent Altarpiece. The floral motif is a nod to the botanical splendor on the Altarpiece. The artist also likes to incorporate a political message in her works. With this 'mural' she wants to raise the refugee issue and the way in which the politics deal with it.

After Hyuro, it was Pastel, another Argentinian artist, who gave the rear façade of Kuiperskaai 14 a true transformation. His work "Pilgrims Pot" is largely inspired by the Ghent Altarpiece. We previously saw the flowers - roses, lilies and columbines - on the Mystic Lamb on Mary's crown. The flowerpot was decorated with the background of the panel with the pilgrims.

Pastel's work can be defined as "Urban acupuncture" in which he uses murals as the start of renewing non-places, starting from the local identity of the place, the flora.

The Belgian artist STROOK, in daily life simply known as Stefaan De Croock, also represents homegrown talent. As part of the Van Eyck year, he will perform a diptych in the Braderijstraat, on the side wall of B&B Great Gent, as an ode to Van Eyck and the Mystic Lamb.

At first sight his work shows us two figures that are depicted diagonally opposite each other. Actually it is one single person looking in the mirror, in confrontation with itself. Whereas Van Eyck chose themes in religious spheres, De Croock clearly opts for a more personal approach. A nice fact: the work of art is really Ghent. STROOK used recycled scrap wood from St Bavo's Cathedral, LUCA School of Arts, a former supporter café of KAA Ghent and the Leopold Barracks.

The artist, who himself studied at LUCA School of Arts, is known for his subdued silhouettes from weathered wood, which was degraded by time. His work could already be seen from Watou to Mexico City.

Argentinian-born artist Francisco Bosoletti created the mural Desencuentro in the picturesque Ghent alley Mageleinsteeg (side street of Lange Kruisstraat). For the work, Bosoletti tried to look at the Ghent Altarpiece through the eyes of the van Eyck brothers themselves. The panels depicting Adam and Eve attracted his attention right away. They seem to embrace all other elements of the historic masterpiece. Bosoletti states there would not have been a story if Adam and Eve had not met, and applies this theory to our own reality: every single encounter we have may change the course of our history.

Bosoletti was born in Armstrong, a small village in the Argentinian province of Santa Fe. He currently works from Italy, where his work has garnered considerable attention. He is quite renowned in the international urban art scene and has participated in various projects in Europe and America.

‘La Sonate du Canal' (The Canal Sonata) is created by the French duo Monkey Bird Crew. The work can be admired on the back facade of the Handelsbeurs (across the water at the Ketelvest). Monkey Bird Crew has created a visual link with the music and musical instruments used at the time of the Mystic Lamb and Van Eyck. The monumental Handelsbeurs building, in which Handelsbeurs Concert Hall is located, fits perfectly within that theme.

Ghent has another mural. This time the Spanish artist Taquen set to work and transformed a lost wall into a true work of art. The work, an ode to Jan Van Eyck, with its soft pastel and earth tones blends in perfectly with the historical framework of the city. This work of art is more than welcome for the present staff of the city service. They admire this work every day from their terrace. Can you guess where this new hidden treasure can be seen from? We'll give you 1 tip: defy the tower staircase of the Castle of the Counts

Within the framework of the Ghent Altarpiece-section in the television programme Iedereen Beroemd, artist Cee Pil, in collaboration with flower shop Blommm, has provided a new Van Eyck graffiti artwork. From now on, a colourful John the Baptist decorates the side facade of Vrijdagsmarkt 11. Cee Pil is known for his 'glitch'. In his work he merges two images into one another. John the Baptist has the same glitch however Blommm covered the work with flowers, which results in a unique combination.

Street art artist ROA created a monumental work on the facade of the Sint-Lucas campus in the city centre. This work, a sculpture of a hare, is based on the metaphorical meaning of the atoning sacrifice, a theme that can also be found in the Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers. The Lamb is the personification of Jesus, who sacrifices his life to save humanity from its sins. The hare is also an iconic animal that regularly recurs in ROA's oeuvre. It symbolises rebirth and rebellion.

ROA has been active for more than 20 years and belongs to the top of international street art artists. The artist with Ghent roots works in complete anonymity while his works can be found all over the world. He is known for his detailed black-and-white images of rodents, birds, reptiles and endangered species.

Following the cinema release of 'The Monuments Men' in 2014, Belgian graffiti artist Bart Smeets painted a large mural on the side wall of the mansion on the corner of Predikherenlei and Van Stopenberghestraat, close to St. Bavo’s Cathedral. Film producer 20th Century Fox was looking for a contemporary way to promote ‘The Monuments Men’. The city of Ghent welcomed this contemporary work with open arms, a permanent promotion of the Ghent Altarpiece, which plays a prominent role in this film.

Can't get enough of street art? Under the label SORRY, NOT SORRY, the City of Ghent supports street art all year round, with the most visible examples being the large murals that can be admired throughout the city. Explore the Ghent murals using the street art map.