Montana Cans was proud to support the bold and invigorating Nuart Aberdeen 2023 event. This festival ventured into the concept of “Rewilding,” a topical theme that resonates with current discussions on “Trespass and Transgression.” Rewilding isn’t merely about wildflowers blooming in meadows or unbridled exploration. It also poses questions about the longstanding local industries and creative sectors that have thrived by regulating and commodifying ‘common’ lands and the concept of the ‘artist.’ This year’s theme encouraged envisioning a ‘rewilded’ city where art’s roots, symbolized by the vibrant murals on the streets, intertwine with the granite pillars of esteemed art institutions.
In such a city, the meticulously nurtured flowers of these institutions seep through their doors, flooding into the streets. This image provokes thought on what a city with truly liberated art might resemble. How does it smell, look, sound, and feel when art sheds its customary confines?
Film by @douggillen for @fifthwalltv | Nuart Festival: @nuartfestival @nuartaberdeen
Nurturing Freedom and Transgression in Art
Featuring artists: Aida Wilde (UK/IR), Eloise Gillow (UK/ES), Escif (ES), Jamie Reid (UK), KMG (SC), Manolo Mesa (ES), Murmure (FR), NeSpoon (PL), Snik (UK), Stanley Donwood (UK), Swoon (US), Tamara Alves (PT), Thiago Mazza (BR).
Nuart Aberdeen 2023 event echoed these sentiments and breathed life into them. In a culture that often restricts murals to commissioned pieces, the Nuart Team explored how we can harness the essence of a liberated tag that remains wild and free, without losing its energy and vibrancy.
At the heart of Nuart Aberdeen is an intriguing blend of the controlled and the unrestrained. Equipped with Montana GOLD spray paints, artists from all walks of life added their unique touches to the local environment in June. In supporting Nuart Aberdeen 2023, Montana Cans stands by the vision of the Nuart Team to explore these new artworks and themes. As we continue to embrace the power of art, we celebrate its ability to challenge norms, inspire freedom, and transform cities.
Images by @conorgaultphoto, ©ClarkeJossPhotography, ©HannahJudahPhotography