Copenhagen: Green parks, beautiful old buildings with amazing histories, Tivoli Garden amusement park, Christiania (well-known of free town) and lastly not to forget, amazing street art. But tucked away in the less-traveled Nordvest neighborhood lies a hidden gem: a collection of striking mural paintings adorning its streets. Who created these vibrant artworks, and what inspired their transformation from mundane walls to vibrant canvases?
Meet Jakob Tolstrup, the creative force behind one of these mesmerizing murals. For Jakob, art has been a lifelong passion, a talent that rescued him from the monotony of school days. Initially refining his skills through graffiti in his youth, Jakob eventually transitioned to legal mural work, viewing it as a collaborative effort with the local community. “I often think in colors and backgrounds when I take a walk in the area where I’m going to paint. I want it to feel natural in its new environment”.
Following in Jakob’s footsteps, we embarked on a journey to explore the murals of Nordvest. We were immediately impressed by all the amazing art. During our visit, we ran into father and daughter Jan (67) & Mia (37). Mia lives in the street with the murals and both are big fans of the arts. They often see a lot of tourists coming to see the murals. “It brings life”. Mia remarks, proudly displaying a tattoo inspired by one of the artists.
Jakob claims: “I see it as adding a landmark to the skyline and like a carpet can tie a room together, I feel that murals can tie the city together. Everyone needs something special to make them feel special. That goes for streets too! Some streets have no soul but that can be changed with art”.
