During the first half of July a lot of work is being done on a new piece of street art in Antwerp on Meistraat. The reason for this is the commemoration of WW II. In 2019 it will be 75 years since Antwerp was liberated, and it is important to keep the memory of this war alive, to strengthen it and to pass it on to future generations. We do this by, among other things, realizing this mural.
 
Symbolic place
The place where the mural comes is not just chosen. On October 28, 1944, a V1 bomb fell on "Bonte Mantelstraat" in Antwerp. 71 people were killed and 80 injured. The destruction in the area was huge. The Bonte Mantelstraat was located where the Theaterplein is now. The square as we know it today might not have existed without this impact.
 
Antwerp talent
The mural is created through a collaboration with artist Toon Van Ishoven and Treepack for the execution. In his work, the Antwerp artist Van Ishoven focuses on various media and styles and previously made sets for theater, audiovisual productions on buildings and also worked as a graphic designer.
 
Van Ishoven about the project: “It fits in perfectly with my current trajectory as a (hyper) realistic artist. You learn something from each work. For example, in this project my experience as a scenographer comes in handy in spatial studies for this mural with trompe l’oeil effect. But what is even more fascinating is to ensure that it is not just about the visual effect, but that there is a substantive depth in the work as well as a formal one. I think the awareness of what war means is very important. Certainly for generations that have never really experienced one. "
 
Personal link
Van Ishoven also has a personal link with the location and the story. “I know the stories of the terror of the V-bombs through the stories of my parents. My father was from Berchem. He described how the sound of the V1 bomb suddenly stopped before he struck, and how you couldn't hear the V2 at all. I also started out as a designer in this building. Then as a replacement for my military service, as so-called "conscientious objector." In that sense, the circle is now nicely rounded.
 
Antwerp Commemorates
The city of Antwerp wants to keep the memory of this war alive. With the core idea ‘Always free. Never self-evident ", the city wants to create awareness about freedom and its importance through walks, the Liberation Days in September and various initiatives such as this new piece of street art. 
 
All info: www.antwerpenherdenkt.be
(About the large project, info about the mural will be online in early July.)