BBC Alba to air new documentary based on Aberdeen’s street art festival

By Lottie Hood

January 6 2023, 7:31 pm

The documentary is presented by BBC Alba TV anchor Mairi Rodgers. Image: BBC Alba.

A BBC Alba documentary exploring Aberdeen’s street art murals is set to premiere.

Called Tog do Shùil – meaning the painted city – the documentary will be aired on Wednesday January 11, on BBC Alba.

The one hour show is based around the 2022 Nuart Street Art Festival in Aberdeen.

First coming to the city in 2017 after starting in Stavanger, Norway 20 years ago, it has become an annual event.

Slim Safont’s The Punishment was nominated for the “Best Of 2022” awards created by Street Art Cities. Image: Wullie Marr/ DC Thomson.

Now boasting 40 large street art murals – two of which have recently been shortlisted for major global street art awards – the small city has gained an impressive reputation.

Barcelona artist, Slim Safont, whose works who has been nominated for the “Best Of 2022” awards, said: “In the European urban art world, it’s considered one of the most important festivals in the world.”

Aberdeen has become the ‘most amazing, colourful painted city’

The new documentary explores the graffiti art scene with some shared insights from legendary American photojournalist Martha Cooper.

Ms Cooper has spent a lifetime capturing the graffiti scene globally including the infamous New York graffiti scene in the 70s and 80s.

In Tog do Shùil she explores the streets of Aberdeen and shares her impressions.

Presenter Màiri Rodgers paints some graffiti on the walls of a city tunnel. Image: BBC Alba.

Several stories of some of the mural artists are also told in the documentary.

It is presented by art newcomer, BBC Alba TV news anchor Màiri Rodgers, who even gets her hands dirty by painting graffiti on an Aberdeen city tunnel.

One of the executive producers of Tog do Shùil, Patricia Macleod, said: “I love that Aberdeen, which fights a reputation for being grey and dour, is year on year turning itself into this most amazing colourful painted city.

“It strikes me that so many of its residents and visitors aren’t aware of the amazing works that are to be found in the myriad of back streets around the city centre.

“The documentary’s Gaelic title Tog do Shùil means ‘lift your eye’ or ‘look up’, and that’s exactly what this documentary does.

“It opens our eyes to the vibrant graffiti scene as well as the large wall murals that have led to Aberdeen gaining an international reputation for its street art.”

Tog do Shùil will air on BBC ALBA on Wednesday January 11, at 9pm. It will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer for 30 days.