FRANKEY

Open 

I’m visually inclined, so I immediately think of the signs at the snack bar with “open” on them. That’s the best-selling snack bar sign ever. Actually, a snack bar is approachable and accessible to everyone; if it’s open, anyone can and may step inside. 

The things I make are also pretty approachable and accessible to everyone. I think I particularly mean that last one, “accessible to everyone,” by “open”. 

Frankey  

Under the pseudonym Frankey, Frankey de Ruwe (1977) puts a smile on the faces of passers-by with his touching observations and fun interventions in places all over the city. Frankey, an Amsterdam-based street artist, is known for infusing humor and creativity into public spaces. He started his artistic journey at TU Delft, experimenting with urban interventions like chalk drawings and stickers. With over 800 street installations across Amsterdam, his playful works often reference pop culture and aim to renew people’s perceptions of their surroundings.  

Notable projects include cartoon-inspired sculptures and whimsical pieces like a Jean-Claude Van Damme statue behind the OBA library. As founder of Natwerk and collaborator with Studio Piet Boon, Frankey bridges art, design, and architecture. His weekly column in Het Parool and international exhibitions solidify his cultural impact, inspiring emotional connections through art and community engagement.  His creations, from the United States to Italy and Germany, have been exhibited internationally, including prominent spaces like the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. 

“Frankey” finds a new spot each week to inspire playful, often ironic installations. From a bridge support transformed into a rhinoceros to a police car leaping over a portico to a miniature surfer riding an awning, his pieces celebrate humor and happiness. 

Frankey publishes new artwork on Saturdays on Instagram and in the Dutch newspaper Het Parool. With permits, installing the work is technically legal. Still, he pays great attention to his materials and installation methods to avoid actually vandalizing any property. “I do have some rules for myself because I love Amsterdam a lot,” Frankey says in a recent interview with The New York Times. “I don’t want to harm the city, so all the pieces I make can be removed quite easily without leaving any damage.”