• Things to Do
  • Destinations
  • Plan Your Trip
  • About Greenland
  • Events
Visit Greenland
  • Home
  • Things to Do
  • Destinations
    • All destinations
    • North Greenland
    • Disko Bay
    • Destination Arctic Circle
    • Capital Region
    • South Greenland
    • East Greenland
    • The National Park
  • Plan Your Trip
  • About Greenland
  • Articles
  • Events
  • Cruise
  • Practical Questions
  • Package tours & providers
  • Your Local Travel Agency
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Modern Art - A boy from Nuuk looking at Guido Van Helten's wall art in Greenland

Street art in Colourful Nuuk

Two new large-scale street art paintings have made Nuuk even more colourful.

IT STARTED WITH AN IDEA

“I’ve always been attracted to extreme places. That’s why I came to Iceland and why I really wanted to paint in Greenland,” said Guido van Helten from Australia.
After proposing and refining the concept, van Helten and Icelander Stefán Óli Baldursson were granted two large-scale walls to paint on and some in-kind support by the Greenlandic Ministry of Housing. The two artists plus a Icelandic/Greenlandic documentary producer bought their own flight tickets, and sourced the tools and paint from Iceland.

KATUAT OR POONOJORTEQ FROM TASIILAQ

The two street artworks are dramatically different. The lady with the polar bear on Block 10 is created directly from Baldursson’s head. In contrast, van Helten meticulously studied a photo of a hunter from Tasiilaq taken in 1906 by W. Thalbitzer. The hunter, thought to be called Kâtuat or Pooŋojorteq is painted on Block 5.
“It’s a privilege to work on the blocks, especially as it symbolised another time and migration. It’s fitting that a guy from Tasiilaq (which is now part of Kommune Sermersooq), is on the wall,” said van Helten.

“I’ve always been attracted to extreme places. That’s why I came to Iceland and why I really wanted to paint in Greenland”

Continues further down the page...

Package Tours

Arctic Umiaq Line: Discover Greenland from the sea

Arctic Umiaq Line

Discover Greenland from the sea

The coastal ship Sarfaq Ittuk sails from southern Greenland up along Greenland’s west coast to Disko Bay.

FROM 500 DKK
Greenland Tours: Best of the West

Greenland Tours

Best of the West

8 days exploring Disko Bay incl. Disko Island and visit to the Greenland Ice Cap

FROM €1,825
Tasermiut Expeditions: Hiking and Kayaking Adventure

Tasermiut Expeditions

Hiking and Kayaking Adventure

8 days trip, kayaking and on foot: complete contact with nature, kayaking and hiking activities, discover Viking ruins in South Greenland.

FROM €2,150
Greenland Tours – Frozen West

Greenland Tours

Frozen West

5 days exploring Disko Bay in winter incl. visit to the Greenland Ice Cap

FROM €1,335
Show More

STREET ART CREATES VALUE

“This town has not been touched by large-scale street art before,” explained van Helten. “I know that people have questioned why the city is spending money on art, instead of painting over the grafitti. I love that in the process of painting the blocks, it beautifies it and brings attention to a building in desperate need of artistic value. Suddenly, instead of tearing a building down the council is more likely to fix the block up to make it nice. This creates more value, and I’ve seen it happen over and over again in different places.”

COLOURFUL NUUK

Stine Selmer Andersen from Sermersooq Business Council said: “Colourful Nuuk is the heart of the Greenlandic nation and the city embraces contrasts in nature, culture, history and people. These paintings underline diversity of the city’s atmosphere by portraying something historical and traditional in a modern way.”

The next time you visit Iceland, see if you can spot the artists’ other works in the Reykjavik and Akureyri. You can also find van Helten’s work in the city of Brisbane, Australia.

Explore related articles, offers and tour providers:

  • Anytime
  • Cultural Experiences
  • Nuuk
  • Summer
  • Winter

By Tanny Por

Tanny Por is Head of International Relations at Visit Greenland with responsibility for international market development, press and PR. She loves building and nurturing ideas and connections that will help to contribute to the sustainable tourism future of Greenland. Her favourite experience of Greenland is one winter in East Greenland where she saw purple northern lights overlooking the icefjord one completely silent evening!

https://thefourthcontinent.com/

Editors' pick

Wooden path towards the icefjord. Photo by Ívar Eyþórssony - Visit Greenland

Top 5 Experiences in Ilulissat in 2023

Michelin food, beautiful hotel stays and award-winning architecture come to mind when you think of Greenland? Perhaps not, but it should!

  • #Boat Tours
  • #Cultural Experiences
  • #Culture vs Nature
  • #Disko Bay
  • #Gastronomy
  • #Glaciers
  • #Greenlandic Gastronomy
  • #Hiking
  • #Icebergs
  • #Ilimanaq
  • #Ilulissat
  • #Ilulissat Icefjord
  • #Midnight Sun
  • #Natural Expereinces
  • #Natural Experiences
  • #North Greenland
  • #Regions
  • #Seasons
  • #Summer
  • #Things to do & About
  • #Towns & settlements
Stella Davidsen Olsen from Kangerlussuaq. Dogsledge musher. Photo by Aningaaq R. Carlsen, Visit Greenland

Know the story of Greenlandic women

Greenlandic women have always played a decisive role in society, and we will highlight them in celebration of International Women’s Day, 8 March.

  • #All destinations
  • #Anytime
  • #Anywhere
  • #Cultural Experiences
  • #Culture vs Nature
  • #In The Spotlight
  • #Meeting Greenlanders
  • #Regions
  • #Seasons
  • #Things to do & About
  • #Towns & settlements
Two snowmobilers on pause in Sisimiut. Photo by Kim Insuk - Visit Greenland

Fulfil your winter wishes in April in Greenland

Come and visit Sisimiut in April and enjoy dogsledding, Arctic Sounds, and Arctic Spa that you have been longing for.

  • #Cultural Experiences
  • #Culture vs Nature
  • #Disko Bay
  • #Dog Sledding
  • #Festival
  • #Inuit Culture
  • #Meeting Greenlanders
  • #Music
  • #Natural Experiences
  • #North Greenland
  • #Regions
  • #Seasons
  • #Sisimiut
  • #Snowmobiling
  • #Things to do & About
  • #Towns & settlements
  • #Winter
Immersing overwelmed by the surroundings. Photo by Aningaaq Rosing Carlsen - Visit Greenland

Editor’s guide: How to spend 4 days in East Greenland

An occupational hazard as an editor is that I read about and collect the most beautiful bucket list destinations, and East Greenland has long been one of mine.

  • #Boat Tours
  • #Cultural Experiences
  • #Culture vs Nature
  • #Dog Sledding
  • #East Greenland
  • #Kulusuk
  • #Natural Experiences
  • #Regions
  • #Seasons
  • #Snowmobiling
  • #Tasiilaq
  • #Things to do & About
  • #Tiilerilaaq
  • #Towns & settlements
  • #Winter
More related articles
Visit Greenland

About Visit Greenland

Behind Greenland's largest travel site is the Visit Greenland that is 100% owned by the Government of Greenland, who is responsible for marketing the country's adventures and opportunities for guests wishing to visit the world's largest island.
The VisitGreenland.com website is created by Visit Greenland and Kathart Interactive.
The Privacy Policy for Visit Greenland

Frequently Visited Pages

  • Things to Do
  • Destinations
  • Nature & Climate
  • When to go
  • Greenlandic Culture
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Other Websites By Visit Greenland:

  • Travel Trade
  • Cruise Call List
  • Media Database

Newsletter

Receive inspiring stories, travel deals and news from Greenland via email.

SIGN UP HERE

GREENLAND – contact us:

Mon. - Fri: 8 am - 4 pm

Visit Greenland
Hans Egedesvej 29
P.O. Box 1615
3900 Nuuk
Greenland

Direct phone Greenland:
(+299) 34 28 21

info@visitgreenland.com
Scroll to top