Astronaut in Brandts - Urban Art
Tucked away in a courtyard at Brandts Cloth Factory is one of Odense’s most distinctive pieces of street art. High on a gable wall, a large astronaut towers above the space below. Instead of a traditional space helmet, however, the figure has a tower-like head, giving the artwork a dreamlike and almost fairy-tale quality.
The mural is attributed to the Finnish street artist Otto Maja, who took part in the exhibition Street Art: The New Generation at Kunsthallen Brandts in 2012. The exhibition brought together a number of international street artists and marked Brandts’ 25th anniversary. As part of the project, artists created works both inside the art hall and throughout the surrounding Brandts district.
Otto Maja was among the participating artists and was presented as a muralist in the exhibition material. According to the organisers, he contributed a large-scale work in the Brandts area, while the motif remained secret until the exhibition opened.
Today, the astronaut can still be seen overlooking Brandts Passage. Combining the imagery of a spacesuit with architectural elements, the work feels both familiar and mysterious. More than a decade after it was created, the mural remains a striking feature of the Brandts quarter and a lasting reminder of the international street art exhibition that left its mark on the area in 2012.
Like much street art, the mural invites interpretation. Some visitors notice the intricate details of the spacesuit first, while others are drawn to the tower-like head, which makes the figure resemble a building as much as a person. Whatever catches your eye, the astronaut is one of those hidden artworks that rewards anyone willing to explore the courtyards and passages around Brandts.
Last updated by:VisitOdensejmjen@odense.dk
