Two women graffiti artists in Amsterdam- Noord - V McGarvey - cc-by-2025
Standing together in chilly Amsterdam-Noord on the banks of the river IJ.
They chatted and spiritedly sprayed their cans almost unseen to the tourist's eye.
Beside the factory where it all began, and the yard where ships were launched.
New art is part of an industrial legacy where meaning is constantly reworked.
Dazzling colours skillfully applied, clash with concrete brick and metal.
Bring a beauty to a barren stage that some may see as brutal.
Vulnerable and temporary unlike the works in expensive Museumplein galleries.
No less important are these canvasses that are battered by the river breeze.
These artists come and go trespassing on what has gone before.
They accept violations with respect sometimes with amore.
How long will our displays be preserved against corporate development demands?
A question asked by the artists of the Amsterdam-Noord docklands.