At Steen & Strøm, we firmly believe that culture plays a main role in enhancing overall well-being. By offering cultural experiences within our centers, we aim to create an environment where individuals can explore, learn, and connect with various forms of artistic expression. Danish Street artist Mikkel Jessen has painted over 70 street art pieces across Denmark.By inviting Mikkel Jessen to paint the nine pillars in Bruuns Galleri, we not only wanted to expose our visitors to his art, but also to reinforce the feeling of Bruuns Galleri as an important part of Aarhus city center where many of Mikkel's works are located.

Mikkel Jessen has painted everything from large gables to small hidden motifs. Many of them in Aarhus, where you can’t go for a walk in the city streets without spotting the colorful bird with the big eyes.

The response has been super nice. We have happy customers and retailers who recognize Mikkel Jessen’s birds from around the city, says Sascha Askov Johnsen, Marketing Manager at Bruuns Galleri.

Mikkel Jessen always have something special in mind when he creates a piece.

In shopping centers retailers are using colors to attract customers and I like to put colors on everything to make people notice what they’re passing through. The reason it is birds is because we humans build at expense of the nature. We don’t let nature in. I think we should open our arms to the nature and let it find its way into the city. Many birds live in the gutters and in the attics. I think it’s beautiful that nature always finds a way to adapt. That’s why I wanted to bring some birds into Bruuns Galleri - no matter where you are in Aarhus, you can always hear a bird sing. It’s just a beautiful thought, I think, says Mikkel Jessen.

It took about 14 days to paint the nine pillars and during Mikkel’s work he became a familiar face in the shopping center, and the customers in Bruuns Galleri became really engaged in his work. Some customers brought him coffee and cake every day while he worked.

While I was working on the nine pillars, I got to know several of Bruuns Gallery’s customers, who were following my work, which was very nice and not something I had expected, says Mikkel Jessen.