5 street artists to catch in the Center
Brussels can be a polarizing city when it comes to street art. The comic books strip walk is quite well known amongst tourists and fans alike, as large murals of Tin-Tin, Stam & Pilou, the Scorpion, and others line the most popular areas of the city. The other side of Brussels street art often comes in the form of less legal installations. Here you will discover a mix of both as I’ll point out five street artists to catch in the center.
Walk Details
Distance: 1.5km
Walking Time: 19min
1
Thierry Jaspart
Lievevrouwbroersstraat 28, 1000 Brussel
We’re starting our list off here with one of the most polarizing streets in Brussels—Theirry Jaspart. Jaspart’s motto is “Je suis partout,” or I am everywhere, and that pretty much sums it up. Known for his large J’EXISTE installations, his Bizarre Love Triangle logo, and his personal tag, looking closely you’ll find Theirry Jaspart really is everywhere. You can find the poster below just a street from Manneken Pis.
2
Jaune
Rue du Marché aux Herbes 52, 1000 Bruxelles
Not as prevalent as Jaspart, you can find a good handful of Jaune works around the center of Brussels. This work here, just, on the corner of Rue Marché Aux Herbes and Pt Rue des Bouchers has been here since 2017. Jaune’s spray can and stencil work often celebrates public service workers, and this work is no different. Part of a campaign entitled “Héros du quotidien,” or Everyday heros, the work, one of four, aims to raise awareness of public cleanliness.
3
Les Crayons
Pl. de la Monnaie, 1000 Bruxelles
My personal favorite street artist, Les Crayons is known for their pencil people. Though less prevalent in the center, the pencils can be seen throughout many of the city’s other communes—especially Saint Gilles and Ixelles. This installation just outside of the Muntpunt Library depicts one of said pencils riding a majestic pigeon—another of Les Crayons’ favorite things to draw. When the holiday season rolls around, the pencils can often be seen adorning the windows of Le Grand Café, just off Le Bourse.
4
Isaac Cordal
Imp. de la Fidélité 10-12, 1000 Bruxelles
This Spanish artist dotted the city with his miniature sculptures, called Cement Eclipses, back in 2017 for the Détours Festival. Made from sculpted resin, these 15cm tall sculptures are quite a difficult thing to spot, unless you know what you’re looking for, as they’re often placed high above. Depicting man in suites, the remaining sculptures aim to be a critical and ironic form of our daily routine. My favorite, and one of the easiest to find can be spotted around Jeanneke Pis. Just turn your back to the pissing girl and look up at the arch.
5
Invader
Rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains 52, 1000 Bruxelles
French artist Invader, known for his pixelated tile mosaics, has done his fair share of work around Brussels, having been to the city multiple times and festooned it with his Space Invaders. Many of his smaller pieces have been removed, like the one my Mannaken Pis and another on Fontaine Anspach, but many are still visible, including this large piece just above Zinneke Pis on Rue des Chartreux.
