BustArt is a Swiss street artist who has been painting murals and graffiti since 1999. He started out with classic graffiti but eventually adopted a new style combining pop art, classical graffiti, cartoons and bright colors, which he calls ‘graffiti pop.’ Throughout the years, he has honed his skills and has been traveling the world to paint murals, making memories and new friends along the way.
And one of those cities is Richmond, VA. Recently, BustArt took a 3-week trip to the US with his manager Thierry and fellow artist Some1, hitting up New York, Richmond, and Miami — and his time in Richmond left a big impression.
ed. note: Recently, this mural has been deemed in violation of Richmond Commission of Architectural Review (CAR) standards and is slated to be removed. If you have questions or would like to express support for the art, please contact alex.dandridge@rva.gov or call 804-646-6304!
Photo by Ben White
“This was my second time in Richmond and I can’t wait to return,” says BustArt. “It’s a quiet place that offers a great variety of nature and art. I was very surprised to see so many high-quality murals in this city, painted by some of the leading artists of this art form.”
Photo by Ben White
BustArt was in Richmond to paint a commission wall with his friend and Richmond street artist Nils Westergard. Unfortunately, due to a tragic accident, the project was put on hold, but Nils came through with another wall for him to paint next to Supply RVA, a new street art supply store.
“Nils is an outstanding artist and a humble person,” says BustArt. “I met him in Amsterdam, I think 8 years ago, and we have been friends ever since.”
Photo by Ben White
And what about this Richmond wall? Well, BustArt says it was the perfect experience. “The sun was out, the 4° from New York turned into 14°. My wall was in full sun all day, so I don’t have to mention that I had a freaking great time painting this wall. The owner was super friendly, and I had all in just the perfect time during this whole paint session.”
For a muralist, the size of the wall doesn’t always matter. It’s the story behind it that makes it special. And for BustArt, his story in Richmond is a good one. Hopefully he rolls through again soon.
Check out more of his work at artofbust.com
Photos by Ben White
