The Crystal Ship, Ostend street art festival, celebrates its tenth edition

Curator Matthias Schoenaerts – yes, that Matthias Schoenaerts – is a street artist in his own right, painting murals under the name Zenith. He has gathered some 20 of the finest muralists from Belgium and beyond to paint the town, all in the name of curiosity. 

In the words of the organisers, “each work appears where life unfolds: between houses, along routes and in places where people cross paths in Ostend.” Schoenaerts made artists from Belgium cross paths with talent from Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain and several other countries. His own work is featured as well, a collaborative effort with Koen van den Broeck. 

Schoenaerts (or should we say Zenith?) sees art in public spaces “as a democratic force: art belongs on the street, where everyone can see it. That way, everyone on the street can view, experience and respond to the works in their own way. 

For more information about the event, check out The Crystal Ship’s website.