13th Day: The Politic Art x the Free Art

In the past Christiania seems to have used art to do politic. After read the C.A. Guide (http://www.maori.dk/christiania/engguide.html) we notice the incredible number of manifestations that happen in the city. In the past, Christiania was a kind of urban artistic laboratory... an open air museum where you could find contemporary artistic intervention at the urban space. Sure these manifestations marked the urban space of the city and increase the strongest of some places like for example the Pusher Street.

Not only the Pusher Street but the whole city seems have signs of political expression like freedom, rules, hash, music idols, community, etc. These expressions are exhibited in the squares and out of the houses though paintings grafittis, sculptures and even in the architecture.

Walking though the Christiania streets today we even notice many art interventions but without the same political energy than before. The thematic seems to have changed. The most art found today there’s relationship with a kind of free and individual art. Sometimes we even find a kind of vandalism art which doesn’t valorize the public space.

For the moment the only cultural scene found in the city is about the good shows in Nemoland, Lopen, Operaen and in the Jazz Club. The expression seems was reduced to the music expression. We don’t use to find painters of plastic artist in the streets. In the actual political stage of Christiania, the city should reinforce its voice though an educational thematic about your history and culture to valorize its identity. I believe this could be an interesting to way to revitalize the artistic scene in Christiania urban space.

The red sign says “The dreams that never dies. Longing for freedom”

Political art in a public manifestation. Picture from the site http://www.maori.dk/christiania

An example of “Free Art”

Another example of “Free Art”