On March 31, the URBAN NATION Museum hosted the second event in the “MCL presents…” series. Titled “Urban Art in the Climate Crisis”, the three artists Sebastian Wandl, Honey and Philip Wallisfurth discussed with the audience about the climate crisis and the consequences for their own artistic work. Based on their own experiences and the book “Street Art in Times of Climate Crisis” by Xavier Tapies, the discussion was about the many decision conflicts that result from trying to make one’s own work sustainable. It was about ecological paints and their much higher prices, about the non-existence of sustainable spray cans and about many everyday decisions in which one can make one’s own actions more sustainable. The fact is that the individual can make a difference, but the impact is small compared to the global economic context. Everyone agreed on one thing: artistic action must not restrict itself too much and must remain free in the end to unfold its power and effect.

Philip Wallisfurth

Philip Wallisfurth is an artist who has been active in Germany and worldwide since 2007. He works with a variety of materials and techniques, including paste-ups, graffiti, sculpture and painting. His style is a mix of graffiti and street art techniques as well as graphic elements of contemporary art. He makes a point of allowing the viewer to become part of his artworks and interact with them. In addition to his artistic work, he organises and curates projects such as the Paste-Up Festival Germany and was, for example, part of the “Ride the Dragon” exhibition in Shanghai in autumn 2019 with an anamorphic spatial installation.

Sebastian Wandl

Sebastian Wandl aka WANDAL developed an interest in colours, shapes and creativity at an early age. His youth was shaped by skateboarding and hip-hop culture. Fascinated by graffiti, Wandal began his career as an artist with a spray can. After studying art in Munich, he concentrated on painting and illustration. His works are created with great attention to detail and bear witness to his long involvement with the medium of drawing.

Honey

Berlin-based graffiti artist Honey has always been a creative mind and has been drawing and crafting since childhood. Influenced by hip-hop culture from a young age, it wasn’t until 2018 that she picked up a spray can. Known for her interesting colour schemes, bold styles and eye-catching concepts, Honey brings joy and a little more diversity to the graffiti scene. Her work is exceptionally clean and her steep learning curve has made her one of the few internationally known female style writers.

            Text: Geneviève Debien Fotos: Oluwaremi Dasho-Stierand