Street Art in Bonaire

I love exploring places through the street art. It’s cool to see the local talent and what they choose to depict in their murals. I noticed the street art as soon as we could wander the island. Not surprisingly, in Bonaire, the artists paint a lot of marine life. Read on to see and learn about the street art in Bonaire.

The Sea

In Bonaire, locals and tourists celebrate the wonders of the sea and the fun activities to enjoy on and in it. Not surprisingly, that appreciation is reflected in the island’s street art.

Donkeys

Donkeys roam freely around Bonaire so it’s no surprise to see art devoted to these sweet and ubiquitous animals.

You may have noticed that many of the signs include the words Dushi Bonaire/Bonairu. That is a Papiamento word meaning “sweet” or “beloved” and is very commonly used throughout Bonaire, and probably, all the ABC islands. Papiamento is one of the three languages of Bonaire, along with Dutch and English, and is defined as a Portuguese Creole. Dushi Bonaire translates to Beloved Bonaire.

Flamingoes

The flamingoes are a local symbol of Bonaire. You may see as many artworks dedicated to them as you do the actual pink birds!

The first flamingo we noticed in Bonaire was on our way to customs on the waterfront in downtown Kralendjik. This mother flamingo feeding her baby was made entirely out of recycled marine waste by Dutch artist Maria Kojick in a project with local schoolchildren. Pretty and amazing, right?

More Schoolkids Doing Street Art In Bonaire

I love the project with the recycled material which involved schoolkids in Bonaire. Good news! Bonaire is continuing these efforts to include young people in the art world of the island. The latest project, Street Colors Bonaire, has begun in downtown Kralendjik and we got to watch one of the murals in progress. This latest is in the courtyard of a popular bar, Diver’s Diner, where we spent a few happy hours.

Beauties

Beautiful women are common subjects of the street art in Bonaire.

Marine Life

As I mentioned, muralists in Bonaire are inspired by the ocean and marine life. From the massive piece with the bible quote on the wall of the religious radio station, to smaller images around the island, the fish of the sea feature prominently in the local street art.

Top Locations for Street Art in Bonaire

Besides downtown Kralendjik, you can also find street art on the roadside near the airport. After that, don’t miss the large abandoned building south of the airport and near the water: it has been overtaken with different levels of graffiti and street art. I have since learned this site is called Esmerelda Ruins and is an unfinished hotel/resort project.

I was first drawn to the building by the huge outdoor mural featuring a flamingo and an interesting tag.

Don’t stop there, check out what I found inside! There is a lot more to see, these are the highlights of the art within the decaying edifice.

Bonairians love their island and it’s inspiring to see their positivity and values expressed through the street art. I have enjoyed exploring public art in many different countries and the street art in Bonaire is appealing! Do you have any favorite places for street art or favorites from the above images? Let me know in the comments.