Nuart 2016: The Tunnel Installations and Explorations of Post Street Art

As we return from the 2016 edition of the renowned Nuart Festival in Stavanger, Norway, we take a look at this year's tunnel installations and the organizer's themes of Utopia, Dada, and the new idea of Post Street Art.

What has always made Nuart perhaps the most special of all street art festivals is Founder Martyn Reed's vision of not only incorporating contemporary street artists into the festival's programming, but also looking both historically and at the periphery of what it means to create a "street art festival." That Nuart has featured the likes of Jamie Reid, John Fekner, FUTURA, and Kennardphillips, and the vein of periphery, Jeff Gillette, Henrik Uldalen, and Sandra Chevrier in years past and present shows that the festival is focused on not only a wide-range of artists, but focusing on a conversation of what Street Art themes really mean. Already built into the show's annual presentation are the tunnel installations, a curatorial inclusion that has always seem to look at the wider context of Street Art as an evolving genre. 

So when the 2016 edition was announced, the festival noted the 500th Anniversary of Thomas More's Utopia as well as the 100th anniversary of Dada as themes, but also brought forth the idea that the festival would discuss the idea of "Post Street Art," or works and artists informed by and thematically linked to Street Art. For years, Juxtapoz has been examining a need to rethink the idea of Street Art, not only with the international phenomenon of mural festivals and curated wall space, but with social media's tie in to an explosion of street art making its way across the world with such a large fanbase and interest. Street Art sort felt antiquated, and the idea of a new title, Post Street Art, seemed apt. 

In the coming days, we are going to publish our full view on Post Street Art ideas. Today, we look at the Tunnel Installations, with standout work from the likes of Evol and Add Fuel, Robert Montgomery, Fintan Magee, Nipper, KennardPhillips, Jeff Gillette and Jaune, and Henrik Uldalen. 

Photos by Ian Cox.