Street art is an important part of any city. We’re not talking about scrawled pictures or graffiti but works of beautiful, intricate art with meaning behind them, which aren’t kept behind the walls of a gallery. It adds depth and colour to a city and is free for everyone to admire and enjoy. Bruges has plenty of street art, you just need to know where to look for it. Book a trip to Bruges with accommodation in Green Park Hotel and plan a self-guided street art walking tour of the city. Remember to take pictures to remember these beautiful pieces before they disappear. Book Green Park Hotel’s best available rates exclusively on our website.
The Dance of Fools
Painted by Stan Slabbinck an independent artist who specialises in drawings, sculptures and paintings, ‘De dans der Zotten’ (the dance of fools) is a well-known mural located at the square between ‘t Zand and Westmeers. The four fools are in reference to the famous beer but also a local legend. The story of the Brugse Zot dates back to the Middle Ages and the legend of Maximilian of Austria who in response to building a mental hospital, proclaimed ‘Close the gates of Bruges, the town is already filled with fools.’ The four dancing fools in the work of Stan Slabbinck depict the four seasons. The colours are calm and serene, and the background colour is fully integrated into the cityscape.
Maria Van Bourgondië
Painted by Jamz a multi-discipline artist with an excellent record of both business and creative success, Maria Van Bourgondië is a portrait of the woman and Bruges itself. The people of Bruges respected Maria enormously as a strong young woman in the 15th century, an era dominated by men and the church. In the red bands of her dress, you can see symbols of the great religions, a lily and some currency which represent power and wealth. The quantum physics symbol on her neck shows the new faith in our times. Maria Van Bourgondië holds the hands of Jesus, who treated men and women equally. The hands represent forgiveness and sharing, creation, giving, and equality. It’s a powerful piece with many meanings unique to its viewer.
Stefan De Crook (Strook)
Old, weathered materials hold something special for our next street artist, Strook. Born and educated between Ghent and Bruges, the street art we love depicts a mysterious woman looking at ‘t Zand. It’s the second of its type in the city, the first constructed on the facade of ‘t Santpoortje, and it has no name that we know of. The materials used were collected from various old houses in Bruges. Old doors, awnings, floors and furniture some at least 300 years old and full of history are kept in their natural state and repurposed for these beautiful artworks. The artist sees the wood as a symbol that reflects perseverance in our disposable society.
Guido Gezelle
The wall on the corner of Rijkepijndersstraat and Carmersstraat is a stone’s throw from the Guido Gezellemuseum in Rolweg. A little further down the street is also the English monastery where influential writer, poet and Roman Catholic priest Guido Gezelle died. Nature was a source of inspiration for Guido Gezelle and he wrote dozens of poems about birds. Artist Sammy Slabbinck cuts and pastes old magazine images into slightly surrealistic collages full of wry humour and observations. The mural on Carmersstraat is a tribute to the style of both the artist and poet. The female figure is inspired by Elisabeth Zorghe, a benefactress from the 17th century who built numerous almhouses for unmarried women in Belgium.
ROA – The Swan
Possibly one of the most beautiful and notable murals in the city is ROA’s Swan, located on Korte Raamstraat. The artist is known for his style of painting animals, mainly in black and white, contorting to fit the shape of the canvas, which is usually large scale like the side of a building. The choice of animal depends on the city and for Bruges he has depicted a Bruges swan. (side note: read our blog for the history of Bruges swans). He incorporates doors, windows and in this case an electrical box into his work. It’s a beautiful piece, much photographed and admired by locals and visitors alike.
Book your stay in Green Park Hotel Bruges and enjoy more than photos of the city’s beautiful street art. Our best available rates are available on our website.
