By Anders Koch Madsen, volunteer journalist
Lars Pedersen has curated the star-studded graffiti program at Roskilde Festival for 25 years.
As part of the international graffiti community, he has visited many parts of the world. And that’s why he can confidently say that there is no place like Roskilde Festival. It attracts artists from all over the world:
“The visiting graffiti artists have an amazing experience because Roskilde Festival is unlike any other place in the world. They get the opportunity to express themselves on the festival's extensive fencing with tons of paint and really challenge themselves.”
For many of the artists, Roskilde Festival is a unique opportunity to meet like-minded people from other parts of the world:
“Many artists love meeting lots of colleagues from all over the world and being part of an international community for a week. Instead of traveling to 25 countries, they can come here and meet 25 different nationalities at once. And when they travel to a new country, they already have a friend from the time they were together at Roskilde,” says Lars Pedersen.
Every year, we bring together a number of remarkable artistic collaborations. The artists are not just here to explore their individual styles but also to cultivate community and open new doors.
“When we start here, we introduce people and say: ‘These are all your new best friends you haven't met before’, and sure enough, when they leave, they are all hugging and shedding a tear over having to say goodbye,” he explains.
The graffiti community is not just a place where artists meet, but also a place where worlds collide in a unique artistic fusion. And you will experience this when you explore the festival grounds.
“At Roskilde Festival, someone from Colombia can paint with someone from Scotland, and then someone from Australia comes and paints next to them. It happens only once in the world, and it happens right here at the festival,” Lars Pedersen explains.
At this year's festival, there are several works that you, according to Lars Pedersen, must not miss. You should especially visit the area between Arena and Food Court, where visual artist Delta from the Netherlands has created three large sculptures along with several graffiti works:
“He is one of the heaviest, most respected artists in European graffiti, so you really shouldn’t miss him. It's a scoop that we have him here doing such a large and different project.”
Another artist you should experience is Rams, who has painted the Food Court:
“Most people know him from Instagram because he is one of the most viral painters. On a daily basis, he paints 'daredevil' graffiti that makes people open their eyes wide and think: ‘How did he get away with painting up there on that roof or that gable?’ And you can experience him here at the festival,” he elaborates.
