We’ve just received word from Gaia that the street art project he has been dedicating some serious time to recently, ‘Open Walls Baltimore‘, has kicked off. This is, first of all, great news for all parties interested in street art. It promises to bring some amazingly talented artists to the city from across the world to create some exciting murals in the Station North Arts & Entertainment District. Expect to see work from the likes of Swoon, Vhils (below, left), Ever and Sten & Lex.

Yet this project has aims that stretch further than creating some great artwork across this area of the city. Gaia goes on to explain that;

‘as every public art project must be, the OWB initiative will hopefully produce more than just spectacular murals. This is about an investment in a neighborhood that is burdened by 150 vacant homes and bridging the gaps between the artist community that calls Station North home and the residents of
Greenmount West.’

Gaia’s love for his hometown is genuine and heartfelt, something that becomes clear as he expresses some of his inspiration for OWB, from projects such as Living Walls in Atlanta and Wynwood in Miami. He feels that projects like these bring more than just colourful walls to a city, but ‘continued support for public art and experimental intervention’, that can become a vital part of the solution to problems experienced by areas such as Greenmount West in Baltimore.

We say, good luck to him and all the artists involved! We look forward to seeing what goes up, as well as the all important after-effect of the project. UKB

Photos courtesy of urbankulturblog & Martha Cooper