Street Artist Paints Delicate, Traditional Lace Patterns on Urban Buildings Around the World

Nespoon female street artist

Lofoten, Norway

When we last caught up with Polish street artist NeSpoon, she was spreading her lacework murals across a semi-abandoned town in central Italy. Since then, she's traveled across Europe, working her way through Sweden, Norway, Spain, and Germany. By studying local lace patterns, and incorporating them into her spray-painted murals, she merges past and present for a surprising effect.

For the past nine years, NeSpoon has evolved her style, her lace spidering across large buildings and small pieces of urban architecture. “I believe that lace patterns are pure visual poetry,” she tells My Modern Met. “In every piece of lace, we find symmetry, some kind of order and harmony. Isn’t that what we all seek instinctively?”

For her work in Berlin with Urban Nation, the delicate lace is set off in a vibrant gold against a rich black background, which gives a hint of the ornate Art Nouveau decorations that one can see throughout Northern Europe. Her work in northern Norway for the UpNorth festival is also steeped in history, inspired by historical Venetian lace patterns.

The pattern sprayed on the sides of small wooden buildings in the fishing villages of the Lofoten islands were taken from a traditional lace pattern book. During the 15th century, Venice was known as a center of commercial trade, with lace particular specialization. In homage to the trade between Norway and Venice, NeSpoon's selection is a demonstration of her deep research as an artist.

Polish street artist NeSpoon is inspired by vintage lace patterns, which she transforms into large murals around the world.

NeSpoon Lace Street Artist

Berlin, Germany

NeSpoon Lace Street Artist

Berlin, Germany

NeSpoon Lace Street Art

Borås, Sweden

NeSpoon Lace Street Art

Borås, Sweden

Nespoon street art woman

Valencia, Spain

“I believe that lace patterns are pure visual poetry.”

Nespoon female street artist

Valencia, Spain

NeSpoon Lace Street Artist

Lofoten, Norway

NeSpoon Lace Street Art

Lofoten, Norway

“In every piece of lace, we find symmetry, some kind of order and harmony.”

NeSpoon Lace Street Art

Póvoa da Atalaia, Portugal

Nespoon polish street artist

Póvoa da Atalaia, Portugal

“Isn’t that what we all seek instinctively?”

NeSpoon Lace Street Artist

Bombarral, Portugal

NeSpoon female street artist

Berlin, Germany

NeSpoon: Behance | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by NeSpoon.

Related Articles:

Street Artist Adds a Delicate Touch of Lace to Public Urban Spaces

Exquisite Bobbin Lace Mural Adds a Delicate Touch to a Blank Facade

Artist Covers Gritty Urban Streets with Delicate Lace Patterns

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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