Street art is a form of self-expression that needs nothing more than a public place to be seen and appreciated by many. Unrestrained by the limitations of time and space, it can emerge anywhere at any moment to please the eyes of passersby.

Let us introduce you to Frank de Ruwe, an Amsterdam-based street artist who goes by the name “Frankey”. He is known for his humorous and subtle take on public spaces, demonstrating that creativity knows no bounds. From Darth Vader fishing in a canal to a street pole turned into a sword, Frank’s creations can appear in unexpected locations to surprise people every week!

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Bored Panda got in touch with Frankey to learn more about his creative process and himself! The artist revealed that during his studies of ‘product design,’ he wanted to make products to make people smile. “But there was little room for humor in my studies. Luckily, I came across the book ‘Wall and Piece’ by Banksy. I was familiar with graffiti but Banksy’s disruptive and often humorous works were an eye-opener. After reading the book I started right away on the streets.”

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“Already in primary school, I was friends with a boy whose brother was in a hip-hop group. One of the elements of hip-hop is, of course, graffiti (so yes, I tried to illustrate my hip-hop cassette tapes as graffiti-wise as possible). The colorful large works in public spaces always appealed (and still appeal) to me. But I never saw graffiti pieces that made me laugh. Until I discovered the world of urban interventions. I think it’s awesome that you add something to the streets that can give people a smile,” Frankey shared after being asked if he has always been passionate about street art.

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For Frankey, inspiration can be found everywhere. “Personally, I really enjoy cycling through Amsterdam. There are always places where you think ‘what happened here?’, and then I immediately think: ‘how can I tell a story with this?’. So, to come up with something to add and eventually make it is a hobby that got out of hand.”

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When doing creative work, some artists might face quite a few challenges. However, all the enjoyable parts of the creative process surpass them. For Frankey, coming up with and sketching an idea is the most fun. “Next comes realization. This is often a challenge, especially with objects. Actually, making something is solving an accumulation of problems. Of course, this can sometimes be difficult but I actually like this. If you really want to realize something you eventually (sometimes after many attempts) succeed.”

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“I make interventions to make people smile. I am lucky that I can publish a new work of my own every Saturday in the Dutch newspaper Het Parool. I get a lot of positive reactions through the newspaper. Many people know that I love Amsterdam and never want to harm the city. So the last couple of years I’ve only used mounting material that does not cause damage (such as magnets, tie wraps, bubble-sided tape, iron wire, etc.). What I really like is that every week I hear and see that people are looking for my work during the weekend. People get out into the open air and hopefully get a smile.”

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Frankey shared that he has a lot of fun projects planned! “A major landmark in Almere stad will be unveiled next month. The following month, I joined the great art route in Amsterdam called Art Zuid. I’m working on an overview book and last, but certainly not least, my biggest and most special work so far will be revealed in Amsterdam after the summer (but what it is will have to remain a secret for now). Stay tuned!”

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