Graffiti history and contemporary creativity merge this summer during the inaugural run of the Nice Surprise street art festival in the Norwegian city of Stavanger. Join BSA as we celebrate the city’s 900-year milestone with a new cadre of artists and programming that continues the modern heritage of this city on the North Sea with a season of new street art and graffiti.

Street artist Belin grew up far from the Vikings in his home of Linares in Andalusia, Spain. 

But that doesn’t mean he can’t paint a mural tribute to one of Stavanger’s heralded Vikings, Ragnar Lothbrok, on a wall in his post-neo cubist style here for the Nice Surprise Festival.  Renowned for his exceptional photorealistic murals, this paint-wielding athletic warrior is celebrated on the street and in the gallery for his ability to create lifelike portraits that often incorporate cubism, distortion, and surrealism elements.

“Inspired by Ragnar Lodbrok, I play a Viking in battle,” he says on his Instagram.

A renewed enthusiasm for the history of conquerors from this part of the world is due in part to the success of onscreen series like “Norsemen”, “The Last Kingdom”, “Vikings: Valhalla”, and simply “Vikings”. Ragnar Lothbrok holds a significant place in both Norwegian and Viking history, representing the spirit of exploration, adventure, and valor that has become synonymous with the Viking Age. His connections to Stavanger, whether historical or mythical, have added to the city’s allure as a destination for those seeking to immerse themselves in the world of Norse mythology and Viking heritage. According to some sagas, Ragnar is said to have been born in the vicinity of Stavanger, although the exact location is disputed.

“Each mural is a new challenge since I love continuing to face large formats, continuing to work with the same energy as always and freehand,” Belin says of this new mural, “which is why I value my work so much. “Playing with the lines, with the space and the colors is what amuses me the most, and I think you can feel it when you see this mural.”

Self-taught, Belin holds his graffiti roots seriously, finding opportunity through experimentation and practice – and has left his mark on walls and buildings across the globe. From Spain, where he has been to cities like Jaén, Madrid, Barcelona, and Malaga, to the United States with murals showcased in Miami, Los Angeles, and New York, and across Europe in France, Italy, Portugal, and Belgium, he has also ventured to Latin American countries like Mexico and Argentina. He discovers new people, cultures, and histories wherever he goes and often paints them into the composition.

But Vikings? You only find them here, bro.

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