City Art

I’ve enjoyed a bit of travel through Europe over the summer and seen some fantastic fun use of art and design that I wanted to share as inspiration. For me art or design has such a powerful way of lifting us up and bringing us together, and the use of it in two cities really stuck with me.

Firstly, I headed to Porto in the north of Portugal. I’ve heard much about this city and it’s beauty. It was summer, so I’ve committed to head back when there are fewer tourist to enjoy it’s charm more completely, but I’ll certainly return.

It was the simplest use of art on the streets that jumped out at me walking the town centre one evening. Electricity boxes, painted with faces. Not a dull grey meal box in sight. Only these fun, dynamic and spirit lifting art boxes!

Next I was in Barcelona, which is a city that has seen it’s fair share of heartache and issues recently. Again, every inch of the city is crowded with tourists and sightseers, but if you look up you get to enjoy the wonders of Gaudi still.

And it is not just the architecture that carries his spirit still. The little boutiques are filled with bold fun pieces, from hanging glass jellyfish to gorgeous platinum jewelry. I think the boldness of the artists in Barcelona pay tribute in their own designs today to one of my favourite and, in my opinion, fathers of design.

Header image taken in Villa Nova de Cerveira, North Portugal