Street Art Biel City

The first Swiss hip-hop scene emerged in Biel in 1981. Its protagonists tried their hand at every artistic discipline: graffiti, breakdancing, rap and beatboxing. In Biel, the influences of German and French hip-hop crossed and intermingled.

Because of the crisis in the watchmaking industry, many derelict industrial buildings were used for graffiti, skateparks, speakeasies and band rehearsals. In 1985, the group JETZT KUNST organised Switzerland's first urban art exhibition, making this artistic activity a national issue. 14 facades were made available to young artists to decorate as they wished.

The guided tour offers a glimpse of local street art. From murals to smaller works, you'll see the creative diversity in terms of technique and representation. You'll discover contemporary works as well as older ones, including graffiti by pioneers Sèyo and Tarkin, and murals by Jörg Müller and Hans-Jörg Moning.

Along the way, you'll be exploring the emergence of New York hip-hop and Berlin urban art, both of which form part of the world of street art. Naturally, the tour will be accompanied by an old-school soundtrack.