Street Museum in Esbjerg (Gadens Museum) - When the street speaks
Street art gives places and environments a whole new meaning, but how can street art contribute to creating surprising, new and thought-provoking experiences for everyone in Esbjerg's urban space?
Galleri Grisk is behind the creation of several striking gable paintings in the city, while Esbjerg Art Museum has a tradition of meeting people where they are by letting exhibitions and communication take place in the city's space. Under the heading Gadens Museum (Street Museum) the two have now entered into a partnership where they will together bring the street into the museum and the museum into the street.
The entire venture was launched in the spring of 2025 with an exhibition at the art museum, where street artist Peter Birk, with direct inspiration from works in the museum's collection, has transformed one of the special exhibition halls into one large spatial painting installation.
With an annual street art festival, Gadens Museum will in future be able to experience some of the world's leading street artists in Esbjerg. At the same time, a number of spectacular, permanent works will be created in various locations in the city over the coming years, with direct connections to significant paintings and sculptures in the museum's collection.
Over time, a unique exhibition will be built in the city's space, building a bridge between established art and temporary artistic expressions – between the so-called fine culture and popular culture. In this way, the Street Museum also heralds a unique and promising partnership, where a state-recognized art museum enters into close interaction with street art actors.