Urban Exploration & Creativity in Leipzig: A Memorable Summer.
IBUG urban art festival and more cool stuff, in your 1st-of-the-month newsletter.
Ciao,
How are you?
I'm writing to you from this cozy café near the Vatican, and it's becoming my new writing haven. What's cool is that it's almost always empty - no tourists in sight. I can already tell this place will be my go-to spot for getting some serious writing done this winter. I'm actually looking forward to the quieter, more introspective months ahead.
The festival season is winding down, and I've got just one more street art festival to hit up (Rotterdam’s All Caps) before I shift into full-on winter mode. Is it just me, or does the idea of winter mode sound more appealing as we get older? Well, I'm totally okay with it, haha!
August was a blast, though. I got back to Ibug, that urban art festival that takes place inside a different abandoned factory every year. This summer, it took over Leipzig's old train repair factory, a place oozing with post-industrial charm.
I was there during production week, capturing artists in their element, and let me tell you, the level of creative freedom at Ibug never ceases to amaze me. It's raw, real, and just plain awesome. I did my best to showcase the art on the blog, but there's so much more hidden away in that abandoned yard - and you've still got one weekend to check it out.
Also, being at Ibug gave me the perfect excuse to uncover Leipzig, a city that's as authentic as it gets. I managed to juggle my festival duties and sneak in some free time to wander around. Even though the one thing I really wanted to see was closed for the holidays, I had a blast delving into the city's industrial heritage, discovering its alternative neighborhoods, and snapping a ton of photos.
Among my favorite discoveries is Leipzig's Spinnerei, an old cotton mill from the 19th century that has been transformed into a creative hub with artist studios, galleries, small museums and design shops. Similarly Pittlerwerke, originally founded in 1889 as a machine tool factory, now hosts urban production spaces, workshops, studios, and offices. Both locations encapsulate Leipzig's industrial legacy while embracing contemporary innovation.
But if you're into urban exploration and want to see abandoned factories before they turn into something else, Leipzig's got you covered. My buddy Chico, who I met at Ibug back in 2017, took me to this abandoned coal factory that's now a playground for local graffiti artists.
There are plenty of these hidden gems waiting to be discovered in Leipzig, and the city loves its industrial heritage so much that it even hosts an annual festival dedicated to it. Leipzig’s Industrie Kultuur festival is happening next week - pair that with a visit to Ibug 2023's urban playground, and you've got the perfect way to wrap up your summer. ;-)
Until next month,
Giulia
ps. Next weekend I’m in Rotterdam for All Caps festival. I already featured the festival on the blog back in 2019, when I was still living in Amsterdam and All Caps was still part of the Pow! Wow! family -and now I’m curious to discover how the festival has changed. Hit me up if you are in the area, I’d love to have a beer together ;)
A Very Important Announcement!
At the end of 2023, I'll be heading to Paris for my cousin's wedding. After sharing precious moments with my big, fat, Italo-French family, I'm prolonging my stay for an exciting week of exploration.
During the first week of 2024, I'll be delving into the city’s hidden corners, uncovering the street art scene, and connecting with local street artists in their very own studios. It's a chance to experience Paris beyond the typical tourist spots, and I’m thrilled to extend this invitation to you.
For the very first time, I'm inviting you to join me as I wander through a city to conduct the in-depth research that goes into the street art travel guides I create for the Blocal blog.
While I'm still fine-tuning the details, if the thought of embarking on a New Year's adventure infused with street art alongside a small, intimate group of like-minded travelers speaks to you, just click the button below to find out more.
New on the blog!
Behind the Scenes of Ibug 2023 Urban Art Festival.
“Emerging from the leafy woods that wrap around Leipzig's former train repair factory, I stumble along a muddied path that leads me into the heart of this summer's street art adventure.
There, right on the horizon, they come into view. A swarm of artists hopping from one decaying building to the next, wielding wheelbarrows, lugging long poles and buckets of paint. But not just paint — they have branches, beams, and massive plastic sheets in tow.
Clearly, the RAW wasteland has ignited their creativity since day one.”
Street Art in Sabadell: Treze’s Graffiti Legacy just outside Barcelona.
Graffiti legend Treze might no longer be with us, but in his hometown of Sabadell, located 20km north of Barcelona, numerous murals bearing his distinctive style persist on the streets and can be admired by graffiti enthusiasts.
Discover the Enchanting Symphony of Pinuccio Sciola’s Giardino Sonoro.
Despite my trip to Sardinia having taken place over a year ago, I'm far from finished unraveling its treasures. In this article, I’m bringing you to the captivating sound garden established by none other than Pinuccio Sciola – a name synonymous not just with pioneering Italian muralism, but also with a groundbreaking foray into the realm of auditory artistry.
At Pinuccio Sciola’s Giardino Sonoro, visitors are invited to immerse themselves in an extraordinary sensory experience where stone becomes a melodic instrument and the air is filled with enchanting harmonies.
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Handpicked by yours truly, IBUG Edition
With the typical Ibug vibrancy that I've chronicled summer after summer — a vibrancy woven from spontaneity, a deep contextual immersion and artist collaborations — Leipzig's former train repair factory has played witness to the birth of hundreds of artworks.
And so this time, I've chosen to dedicate the complete section of my favorite works from the previous month to Ibug urban art festival 2023.
Let’s start!
Vladimir Abikh’s ‘Time Repair Factory’ derives from our shared sense of challenging times. It hints at the intriguing prospect of someday repairing time rather than material objects.
RMYR stencilled solely the upper sections of these two images of industrial buildings to convey the notion of absence, akin to the feeling evoked within abandoned structures where only remnants remain, hinting at a lost entirety.
An immense reproduction of Nikita Nomerz's train ticket to Germany stands in the main warehouse, symbolising a poignant link to the venue and commemorating the one-year anniversary of a liberating journey. Exactly one year ago, this Russian artist fled his homeland under the shadow of persecution for having painted an anti-war mural, finding sanctuary in the embrace of the Ibug 2022 festival. He has been on the move ever since.
Painting on a surface with traces of rain exposure, marked by dampness and several leaks, the DTA (Die Typografie Abstrakte) duo transformed water’s effects into an inventive piece that encapsulates the rainy days that nurtured its creation.
Schmii crafted miniature installations, mirroring corners of this year's industrial venue. The local artist had stashed ten such miniature treasures across the forsaken factory, hidden in the most overlooked recesses, a delight reserved for the visitors with the most attentive and careful gaze.
Collaborations embody the core spirit of the Ibug festival. Among the standout collaborative works from this year is a canvas jointly created by the unstoppable Naamlooozz, the German minimalist graffiti writer KAI, and the Argentinian visual artist Tomas Facio. Their individual styles couldn’t be more divergent and yet this canvas is strikingly amazing.
More artworks from Ibug 2023 on the blog!
Stuff I write when I’m not here:
Not your usual "Top-5" street art article ;-) I delved into the history and evolution of street art in five major European street art cities for UP Mag, check it out:
5 Street Art Festivals Happening in September 2023
3rd - 10th September: All Caps is happening in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. See you there!
9th - 10th September: Look Up Portsmouth is happening in Portsmouth, UK.
16th - 17th September: London International Paste Up Festival is happening in London, UK.
16th - 17th September: Ci Urban Fest is happening in Getafe, Spain.
22nd September - 3rd October: Denver Walls Festival is happening in Denver, USA.