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The Belgian coastal city of Ostend has been hosting The Crystal Ship festival every spring since 2016. Dozens of artists from around the world create colourful wall paintings, known as murals, that reach as high as the rooftops. Boels Rental has partnered the event since its inception by supplying more than 15 aerial work platforms. A simple job at first glance, but looks can be deceiving. The Boels depot in Ostend gives an extra dimension to the term partnership. Time to take a high-altitude look at the murals in Ostend.
Commissioned by the municipality and the Visit Ostend initiative, The Crystal Ship festival was launched in 2016 and has since become a world-leading street art event. Every year, internationally acclaimed artists are invited to paint various outside walls in the city with impressive murals. And this year is no different while we toured the city with Boels depot manager Robin Martens in search of fascinating artistic creations, as well as the Boels AWPs that form an indispensable link in the event.
Not as simple as it seems
Martens was already depot manager in 2016 when the initial request came in. “The request itself was pretty straightforward for us. We needed 15 aerial platforms for the artists to work safely at different heights. But it wasn’t and still isn’t as simple as it seems. Every outside wall is different, every neighbourhood is different, and every substrate is different. We have to consider all these factors and, in that sense, provide a completely tailored solution for the rental, use and safe operation of the aerial work platforms.”
It isn’t as simple as it seems. Every outside wall is different, every neighbourhood is different, and every substrate is different
This year, the organisation chose 15 aerial platforms, the largest of which reach 40 metres high. In addition, smaller aerial platforms and scissor lifts are also needed to allow the artists to paint the walls with a steady hand. The Boels depot in Ostend coordinates every aspect from A to Z. Boels visits the locations, measures the dimensions and estimates environmental factors. And, based on this information, looks for the appropriate aerial platforms.
Production manager Jasmine Roemendael is the linking pin on behalf of the organisation. Jasmine’s work begins a few weeks before the actual painting gets underway by priming the walls that were selected. Jasmine is a mural artist herself, so she knows exactly what it takes to get these giant works of art on the walls. It starts with priming, buying the specialist paint, liaising with the artists and, not to forget, ordering the aerial work platforms.
The artists can start when the aerial work platforms are at the location, but not before they are given a refresher course on how to safely operate the AWPs
Safety refresher course
“That’s absolutely true. The artists can start when the aerial work platforms are at the location, but not before I have given a refresher course on how to safely operate the AWPs. We have artists coming in from dozens of countries every year. They have a lot of experience working at high altitudes around the world, but aren’t always used to working with the machinery we give them.”
Jasmine has been involved with the festival since the first edition and has had the chance to operate almost all Boels AWPs since then. That makes it a lot easier to help all the artists get to work quickly. According to her, communication and long days are the biggest challenges. That’s why the total technical care of Boels is incredibly helpful.
“That’s definitely one less big worry. The nice thing about working with Boels is the manner in which they fulfil the partnership. Depot manager Robin is always available, he was even on standby during the Easter holidays. He thinks in solutions with us, not just for us. Boels has a very wide range of machines that are also relatively easy to operate. And sure, if something does go wrong with a machine, a new one is usually ready the same day or the next morning.”
Painting at a height of 40 metres
We have arrived with Robin and Jasmine at one of this year’s largest works of art. Works of Spanish muralist, painter and illustrator Marina Capdevila’s are generally very colourful and playful, yet also topical. The always cheerful Capdevila is about to put the finishing touches to her mural. The platform of the 40-metre-high work platform is packed with paint and brushes.
Marina explains what she does: “I work on this kind of artwork quite often at high altitude. When I first climb onto the platform, men sometimes look at me questioningly. Kind of asking: Are you sure and can you this? But after that, they are impressed by my skilful operation of the AWP’s joystick.” There is quite a strong wind today and the platform occasionally sways back and forth while Marina painstakingly applies the final brush strokes to her 40-metre-high mural. Maintaining the overview while painting in these conditions is indeed an art in itself.
When Jasmine is asked when she and her team are satisfied, she answers quickly and firmly. “If the artists are happy and if they appreciate the work that went into it. Then I know that all of us did a good job. All that’s left afterwards is the easiest task, signing off the aerial work platforms.”