WORM’s New Graffiti Wall Unveiled

Sitting right in the heart of Rotterdam, our new piece marks another chapter in the long tradition of S/ash Gallery pushing artistic practice beyond the walls and into the streets. The wall is raw, energetic, and very much alive: made in situ, with ideas formed in real-time — exactly how we like it.

The artwork, created by Rotterdam-based artist Rowan van der Sterren [@rowanvandersterren], is a striking blend of drama and mystique. In Rowan’s words:

“This artwork is inspired by personal drapery studies where folded fabrics and mysterious, veiled figures take center stage. The use of deep purple and pink tones gives the work a dramatic appearance and makes it fit in with the surrounding Witte de With area’s ambiance. The illusion of a floating, shrouded figure draws inspiration from themes like anonymity, mysticism, or the transition between the material and the spiritual. Let this anonymous wanderer accompany you through the hazy streets of Rotterdam.”

Since 2016, S/ash has operated as WORM’s “not-so-very-white cube,” a street-level exhibition space and creative lab where artists, makers, and thinkers come together to experiment and share. We work with artists for who they are and how they think — not just what they produce. At S/ash, it’s never just about the final show; it’s about the full story: the process, the mess, the moments in-between.

This graffiti wall continues our tradition of testing what art can be in public space.  As part of the Ultimate Playground philosophy, this wall is a call to create, to play, and to reclaim space — a true act of pleasure activism.

So come down to Boomgaardsstraat 69 and find it. Let it surprise you. Bring a friend. Take a photo. Or just stand there a moment and take it all in.

—

Created during Art Week Rotterdam 2025 by Rowan van der Sterren

Location: S/ash Gallery @ WORM

Part of a tradition of radical, in-process, street-connected work