Memories

On the towering side wall of a residential block in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, a monumental figure in deep blue is depicted trying to break through a wall that separates her from the birds and the fire. She is wrapped in swirling patterns of birds—Kingfisher and Great Camarones—whose wings fold around her like a living mantle. The falling bricks from her action split in two, with fresh sprouts emerging from them, symbolizing renewal and new life. To the left, smaller scenes unfold with exotic birds generating flames, evoking memories carried and safeguarded like fragile treasures. Her expression, at once solemn and luminous, transforms the wall into a meditation on remembrance, resilience, and care. Created by Colombian artist Bastardilla, Memories reflects her distinctive style, where female figures often serve as guardians of hidden or silenced narratives. Here, the birds that surround her embody freedom, migration, and continuity, while the interplay of fire and cool blue tones merges personal and collective histories into one layered image. Placed at the heart of a modern neighborhood, the mural stands as both landmark and reminder. It invites residents and passersby to reflect on the stories that shape their lives, and on the enduring power of memory to nurture communities across time and distance.

Bastardilla is an anonymous street artist from South America who has been painting since childhood, shaped by the streets of Bogotá and their Gotham-like intensity. Starting out in abandoned public spaces, she turned neglected corners into vivid storytelling surfaces, discovering walls as an escape route from boredom and a canvas for freedom. Her work focuses on people and everyday life outdoors — the gestures, struggles and small resistances that unfold in cities packed with surveillance and advertising. For Bastardilla, public space is where real participation happens, beyond mass media and stereotypes. Known for her fluid lines, rich colours and frequent use of glitter, she creates powerful female figures and scenes that radiate strength, autonomy and resilience. Over the years she has moved between lithographic inks, water-based paints, spray cans and, more recently, back to her beloved brushes. By keeping her identity hidden and her practice non-commercial, Bastardilla lets her walls speak for themselves — poetic, political and fiercely alive.