Mexican caligraffiti artist Said Dokins has taken part in the 13th edition of Nuart Festival and left behind this thought provoking, community based mural inspired by the experiences of the foreigners who have settled in Stavanger, Norway, either through choice or necessity.
About the Mural
Prior to creating his latest mural the artist conducted interviews with individuals from Johannes Læringsenter – a resource centre for newly arrived immigrants to Stavanger. The artist also made a point of speaking to the local population about their attitudes towards foreigners. Through these conversations with people from such diverse backgrounds Dokins explored notions of freedom and belonging. “The idea was to collect the words of individual people and coalesce them into something that represents a shared experience” he explained.
These moments resulted in the text “næarhet” which translates to “proximity” in English and this references how our individual reality is shaped by our environment and how this can be disrupted through displacement and migration. Something that is very prevalent in the current climate we live in. The artist used the names and the words of the individuals he spent time with to create the word “nærhet” which is painted in Dokins’ trademark calligraphic style. Dokins’ style combines Japanese calligraphy with pre-phonetic Mexican writing references.
The background – half red, half blue, meeting in the middle – is a metaphor for the compromise required in order for us all to live in an equal and compassionate society.
The mural can be found on Nedre Banegate 45 in Badedammen, an area in the east of the city where working class and immigrant populations have always traditionally settled.
About the Artist
Said Dokins is a graffiti and calligraphy artist living and working in Mexico City. He has been making graffiti and street interventions since the 90’s and has exhibited nationally and internationally, in countries as Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, France, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, El Salvador, Peru and others.
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