When you walk through the “Hoven” in Leiden, you can’t miss the colorful mural on the wall at the Nieuwe Marnixstraat. This mural was created as a project in collaboration with housing corporation De Sleutels, youth work Sol and the Lucas van Leyden fund. It came about through a participatory process with young people from the neighborhood. Together with the artist, they collected litter from the neighborhood. And with this waste, the artist realized a design.
...it’s also a statement. It’s a statement that says “we’re proud of our neighborhood” and “we’re proud of our community.” This mural is a symbol of unity and community. The surrounding schools, the skate park. The neighborhood itself. They’re all places you want to be without litter.
Murals and the environment
It’s important that we’re aware of the state of our environment, and that we do our part to keep it clean. This doesn’t just mean taking care of our own surroundings, it also means being aware of plastic and other materials that can pollute our oceans and waterways.
There are things we can all do to make a small difference in our own neighborhoods. We can recycle and compost as much as we can, pick up litter when we see it, and return the deposit on bottles. These may seem like small steps, but in the long run they can make a big difference.
Murals make an impact
Murals can have a powerful impact on a city, town, or neighborhood. Telling stories through art. That's what Karski does. Murals preferably as large as possible so that they really make an impact. A message gets through in this way and gives food for thought. The local residents have responded very enthusiastically to his work, and we hope for more of these kinds of beautiful projects in the future.
Feel free to contact us!
Want to know more about how you can translate your (social) message into a mural? We are happy to brainstorm about all the possibilities. Call or email us for a free conversation about your project.