The popular Dutch duo Telmo Miel was recently in Dordrecht, in the western Netherlands where they recently painted this fabulous mural titled ‘Not as creepy as I seem’, a project curated by Stichting Dordrecht Street Art.
Based on an image taken from an old photo database from people in Dordrecht in the 1930-1940’s. According to the artists, they chose this particular girl not only because she fitted the wall perfectly, but also because she was from there.
The image also made them realise how the way we present ourselves through photography has dramatically changed since. To this they add:
“Nowadays people use their phones or in luxurious circumstances they hire a photographer for family portraits. But the feel is usually happy, smiling, or with a duckface here and there. The database we went through was filled with serious people in a clothing style that referred more to modern day horror films than wholesome family life.
In every case there is a kind of easily misinterpret-able factor ‘appearance’. She isn’t creepy though. Just like I’m not always angry, although i maybe appear to be.’’
So what is beautiful and what creepy? Well, concepts like that seem to be defined by the culture and the times we live in, dictating what is acceptable and what is not. But anyways, isn’t beauty in the eye of the beholder? I personally see beauty in everything, including darkness, because what is more beautiful than mystery? the unknown? even nostalgia…
Do you want to know a bit more about Telmo Miel?
visit telmomiel.com | facebook | youtube
Many thanks to Sami from StreetArtUnitedStates for the images and info.
Author: Fran
Founder and editor of Urbanite. Street Art lover who after the finishing her MA thesis on the Mexican and Norwegian muralist movement in the 1920-50s, developed a fascination for street art and graffiti that eventually led to collaborations with different art blogs, including the creation of this one.
