Fast and furious, that’s how the neighborhood filled with people – and how the paint hit the walls yesterday. Returning today long after the aerosol cloud dissipated, we discover so many things the first time we missed. In truth, it wasn’t all finished when we left earlier, and the artworks came to life while we were gone. Some even climbed walls. Here’s a quick rundown of the first few that we capture in their entirety, as artists for this years’ ‘Hit the North’ boarded planes, trains, and automobiles to places in the country and out – leaving behind a stunning array of new pieces in Belfasts’ Cathedral Quarter.

A dynamic duo whose steps are in sync, Vibes has the style and the letters, and Odisy wows with the characters precisely drawn. Together this London based team show you how their world pops off the wall like a page from your favorite graphic novel. With solid skills in graffiti for years, it is good to see such a shared dedication to the culture and an updated version of it as well.

Perspicere, a leading figure in East London’s street art scene, mesmerizes with his enchanting string portraits and large-scale installations. Using single long threads, he creates intricate, nostalgic narratives that evoke themes of vulnerability and self-discovery. With exhibitions in galleries, museums, and street art festivals, Perspicere’s work continues to captivate audiences with a live-action technique that borders on sorcery.

Zabou, a French street artist based in London, specializes in realistic black and white portraits, skillfully capturing expression and emotions with her subjects. With over a decade of experience, she has created about 250 large-scale murals across 22 countries, infusing each piece with inspiration drawn from everyday life in the surrounding environment. Contemporary and universal, it remains human.

The Spain-based Lidia Cao is a contemporary artist  favoring emotive paintings that explore themes of identity, memory, and connection. Introspection rules the day, as do her tight lines and bold colors.

Sr. Papá Chango is a Mexican artist based in Berlin. He often paints vibrant realms of his own construction and everyday scenes, merging his fantastical characters with otherwise mundane scenes or offbeat scenes imbued with a hint of baroque opulence.

Entertaining illustrator of characters and large-scale and loved Belfast muralist Kev Largey took on a rollikick horizontal strip with his buddy Pens to liven up the corner here at Hit the North.

Veks Van Hillik is a French street artist known for his captivating and surreal murals, draws inspiration from nature (often fish), pop culture, and art history. His unique style, influenced by artists like Gustave Doré and Salvador Dalí, features intricate details, richly warmed colors, painterly strokes, and fantastical creatures. Based in Toulouse, Hillik has left his mark on cities across Europe with his paintings, aiming to evoke emotion and curiosity while inviting viewers into a world of boundless imagination.

Eoin, an enigmatic artist with roots in 90s-era graffiti, has also roamed the globe, adorning walls across four continents with his mesmerizing anamorphia and energetic abstraction. With training in Fine Art Sculpture from the UK, he delved into painting in the city’s margins, drawn to abandoned sites and the allure of vast outdoor canvases. While his outdoor escapades once took center stage, he now crafts a harmonious fusion between his street art adventures and his studio explorations, weaving together a narrative that crosses boundaries.

Hurmorous FGB – or Francois Got Buffed, is an artist in Belfast known for his versatility in illustration, painting, and cartoon art. His vibrant use of colors and tightly rendered outlines immediately draw attention, creating visual entertainment that conveys narratives or roundabout societal commentary. Through his art, FGB sometimes brings attention to overlooked or disregarded issues, connecting with viewers of all demographics and leaving a lasting impact with his ability to engage audiences regardless of background.

Kitsune Jolene, born Jolien De Waele in Ghent, Belgium, has a background in Visual Art & Architecture and experience assisting others on the street art scene. She embraced spray paint in 2017 and has expanded her reach from Belgium to Portugal and Dubai. Her portraits of women, animals, and nature reference myths, dreams, and folkloric storytelling.

Decoy likes big walls for his flat graphic abstract and plenty of the current palettes for illustration-style rendering. From Cork, Decoy can tell the real thing from a facsimile easily…

Friz, originally from Sligo, on the northwest (Atlantic) coast of Ireland, is a visual artist currently based in Bangor, Co. Down. Working fluently across both digital and traditional mediums, she adeptly blends aerosols and acrylics to realize her creations, adjusting her technique to suit the canvas at hand. Her art delves deep into the layers of history, myths, and folklore, serving as a conduit for cultural exploration and enlightenment. Her portfolio often concerns formidable female figures and their interconnectedness with the natural world, offering reflection and aspiration.

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