What happens when whatsapp stickers hit the streets? Good things are happening. People stop, smile, observe the surrounding city better. Some are inspired, others ask questions. That’s the role of street art after all, he thinks ___maz___artist living in Spain, participating in the third edition of Artown Festivalwhich took place between October 4-20.
In the year 2024, Ploiești holds the title of the Youth Capital of Romania, and the Artown Festival animates the city with an explosion of murals, street interventions and events that bring art and culture closer to both the residents of Ploiești and the festival participants who come from various cities and countries. This edition of the festival includes 16 murals and more than 60 street art interventions, transforming the city into an urban gallery.
___maz___ has reimagined the virtual dialect of WhatsApp stickers in “Sticker Language”, bringing these digital icons into the urban landscape as painted interventions. Each sticker, which is typically intended for private digital exchange, changes its meaning when placed in urban public space, creating a mix between shared reality and personal expression.
His urban interventions involve a deep understanding of the local context. The artist explored the city and combined Spanish stickers with local influences, while collaborating with Romanian artists and the Artown team through a WhatsApp group. All to change new or existing stickers, virtually capturing the digital essence of the city.
We spoke with the artist, briefly, about the impact of street art on the way we, as passers-by, perceive public space.
The Artown Festival experience
Pretty good, what I liked the most was that I was able to ride my bike around the city before starting my interventions.
What inspired you to start expressing yourself through street art
Practicing graffiti as a teenager made me read the city and blur the boundaries I once considered normal. I remember once when they caught me painting, they went crazy and made me clean. As I was cleaning, I thought, “so annoying, but so interesting…”.
Your creative process
I start by thinking about where I will be, in what place I will intervene, to observe the appearance of the wall, the context. The fact that the street is not a blank canvas helps to create a base of information to start from.
Why it’s important to create art in public spaces
After all, painting is just an excuse to get out of the house and walk around a bit, look at the sky, talk to strangers, explore the environment.
Photo credit: Cristian Sisea
The influence of street art on public space
Placing an image in public space opens up a new narrative of that place, sometimes art is created to serve its power and interests, other times it inspires vagrants. It is important to know who you are working for.
How do you feel your works interact with people who meet them on the street
I like to think that some of my ideas are not “chewed in one bite” and that some people retain the image to digest a meaning beyond the immediate visual impact.
Memes in the street
For the Artown Festival, I used the stickers that I exchanged through a chat group, and the people from the organization helped me with the translation. It was a lot of fun thinking about which digital memes fit into certain places in real space and why.
The evolving role of street art
For years, street art has gradually adapted to fit into the tight suit of capitalism. At least in the western context I’m familiar with.
Advice for young artists
I’m not the type to give advice. But hey, cultivating empathy works for everyone.
Future destinations
Any place that has a bike and you can walk around in peace is a good destination.
Source: www.iqads.ro
