Transformational is a word used to describe art so often, it is in danger of becoming a cliché.
But transformational truly is the only way to describe Nuart and the changes it is making to our cityscape this week.
It will have been hard to miss the 11 artists as they toiled away, often high on cherry pickers, turning grey, dull walls into masterpieces ahead of the Nuart Aberdeen street art festival that runs from Thursday to Sunday (June 6-9).
The stunning and evocative mural by Hera of Herakut (Jasmin Saddiqui) on the side of Union Point can be seen from miles around – a beacon for Nuart and everything it stands for.
Millo’s piece at Aberdeen Health Village has rightly been referred to as an instant classic, with his signature giant, fun figure looking over images that are callbacks to Aberdeen’s rich past, from the interior of the old Aberdeen Market to the burning of the trams at the beach.
Meanwhile, our own rising star of the art world, KMG, is playing with the ideas of deep-rooted Celtic folklore and mythology at the most modern of buildings: Aberdeen International Airport.
And Mahn’s mural is turning the plain wall on Wapping Street, directly opposite the train station, into a massive, eye-catching mural.
This means that at every significant gateway to the city – be it rail, sea or air – Nuart Aberdeen is shouting its presence, announcing to visitors that they truly are arriving in a city of culture.
It shows this is a city that is vibrant, that recognises its past, and has faith in its future. Every one of the 11 works being created this year is a declaration that Aberdeen is a place that is looking forward – that it is transforming.
The murals, though, are only part of the story of Nuart Aberdeen. Sitting alongside this festival is an internationally acclaimed street art conference. It gathers experts and academics together to discuss their art and craft, and to share their visions for its future – including here in Aberdeen.
Between the almost 60 Nuart works the city will now boast and this gathering of talent and learning, it is little surprise to me that our street art festival is now seen as one of the best of its kind in the world.
It was recently named one of the top six “must-see” street art festivals, alongside the likes of Rio de Janeiro and San Francisco, by the Financial Times.
That is something which should put a spring in the step of everyone who truly cares about Aberdeen. Putting us on the global cultural map isn’t just a case of having a bit of kudos – it is a massive advert for people to come to discover Nuart and the Granite City.
Aberdeen draws in visitors from all across the world
And coming they are. We know visitors have made the pilgrimage to this year’s Nuart Aberdeen from across Scotland, the UK, Europe, and even from North America. They are not arriving by accident, but because they know Nuart is a world-beater for street art.
Nor are these visitors stopping by just for this weekend – although we do expect tens of thousands of people to flock into Aberdeen between today and Sunday, drawn by the new murals, our Inspired Nights events at Shiprow, the family-friendly Chalk Don’t Chalk massive mural at Marischal College Quad, and the celebratory atmosphere that will be generated.
They also come year-round, to find these art treasures adorning the walls of Aberdeen, like an open-air art gallery in the heart of the city. And they don’t just take selfies with the artworks and leave. They stay to discover the many other attractions Aberdeen has to offer, from our shops to our restaurants, our pubs to our galleries and our museums.
Guests here linger and spend, and give our local economy the boost it needs and deserves.
Nuart doesn’t get the national recognition it deserves
Any other city in the UK would give its eyeteeth to be able to lay claim as the home of Nuart; it would make national and international news for them.
Sometimes I feel that Nuart Aberdeen doesn’t get the national recognition it deserves from Scotland and the UK’s press and media, because it is seen as something remote and far-flung – something that happens “up there”, away from the bubbles of the Central Belt and London.
Take in the new works, enjoy the old, relish the vibrant atmosphere, then tell everyone what you love about Nuart
But we know what we have. And we should be shouting about it from the rooftops at every opportunity.
So, this weekend, please, come and join us. Take in the new works, enjoy the old, relish the vibrant atmosphere, then tell everyone what you love about Nuart.
As we embark on the eighth outing for the festival, I like to cast my mind back to 2017, when Aberdeen Inspired first brought Nuart to the Granite City. It was our firm belief that we had secured something for our city that was world class, something special, something inspirational – something transformational. It is.
Adrian Watson is CEO of Aberdeen Inspired
Conversation