Smok
Three local service centres, De Horizon, De Boei and De Thuishaven, are housed in an apartment block. As a result, their offices are little visible and people often pass by without noticing them. Older local residents sometimes do not even know that they can go there for services and activities.
Instead of working with classic façade banners with photographs, the Elderly Care Department of the City of Ghent opted for murals. The three centres have large blind side walls that are ideal for this purpose.
Smok (Bart Boudewijns) is a renowned street artist whose work can also be admired abroad. In these murals he portrays visitors and volunteers of the local service centre. Who would be portrayed was decided by the visitors via a contest.
Born in Antwerp in 1972, Bart Boudewijns mostly uses spray cans for his paintings, but he is not afraid to use brushes or other media as well. He aims to make people smile or reflect on nature, their responsibilities and consciousness.
Smok created his first graffiti in 1986. After a 15-year interval, he took up painting again in 2013. His work can now be seen far beyond Antwerp.