Street Art Around the World
Photo by Joey Zanotti / CC BY
Street art is a widely debated topic for many cities across the world. Some cities see it as graffiti and do their best to keep it to a minimum. But then there are the cities that embrace the local artistic community and become a hot spot for art-loving tourists. Talk to any art historian and they’ll say it’s imperative to visit some of the better known “street art” sections of a city if you’re looking for the best symbolic and cultural art. Art lovers from all walks of life will appreciate these fabulous 7 cities where you can immerse yourself in vivid landscapes, realistic portraits or hysterical self-expression.
1.) New York City, US
New York City used to have a strict no-graffiti policy until only a few decades ago. Once the city started embracing the “graffiti,” street art started popping up all over the 5 boroughs. But several areas became meccas for the art form: The Bronx Wall of Fame that depicts everything from tags in unusual fonts to zombie-like cartoons; The Bushwick Collective at Troutman Street in Brooklyn will inspire you with an uplifting mural one minute and make you cry with a haunting depiction the next minute; the Graffiti Hall of Fame in East Harlem is the Mack Daddy of the NYC graffiti scene: the autographed wall features the tags of some of the greatest street artists of NYC; and Tuff City Tattoo shop has some truly awe-inspiring detail!
2.) Montreal, CA
Photo by Tony Brooks / CC BY
Another fabulous city that embraces its artistic side, Montreal hosts street art festivals throughout the year that attract artists from around the world. It’s no wonder that Montreal has some of the most diverse art adorning its streets; they have everything from realistic portraits to colorful cartoons! Boulevard St-Laurent is the best place to see these works of art, but Golden Square Mile is another hot-spot you won’t want to miss.
3.) Berlin, Germany
Photo by Guillaume Capron / CC BY-SA
Beginning in the economically-tough 70’s, Berlin dwellers were spurred to share their thoughts and frustrations illegally via spray paint. This on-going artistic symbolism lends a much darker feel to the street art then the other cities’. Despite being technically illegal, artists like “Tower” and ongoing series like “Linda’s Ex” managed to capture the public’s attention paving the way for today’s big names like XOOOOX, Alias and the comical “Mein Lieber.” To see the best of the best, head to East Side Gallery or the Streets of Kreuzberg.
4.) Los Angeles, US
Photo by Marika Bortolami / CC BY
Photo by Sean Davis / CC BY-ND
After a “mural moratorium” ended in 2013, artists were climbing out of the woodwork to flex their street art muscles in this dynamic city. Thanks to talented artists like Aaron Li-Hill, ROA and DABS & MYLA, you can feast your eyes on almost every possible style of art on the grandest scale throughout most of the city. The Audrey Hepburn piece at Argentum Photo Lab is arguably the most famous work to come out of LA and to see one of the the largest street murals in the world, don’t miss the 2745 foot “Great Wall of LA” off Oxnard St.
5.) Angoulême, France
Photo left and right by Benoît Lesquerbault / CC BY
This quaint town has been famous for its street art since the 1970’s. Every year since 1974, Angouleme has hosted an international Comic Festival, so it’s only fitting that most of the commissioned murals throughout town are a bit comic-like. Because these works of art pepper the entire city, it’s hard to find a favorite, but “New York Sur Charente” by Nicolas de Crécy along the Charente River can’t be missed. Spanning 11 stories, this vivid mural is possibly the best known work of art to come from Angouleme.
6.) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Argentina’s largest city attracts diverse street artists from all over the world due to the art being completely legal and the abundance of many abandoned buildings (AKA “street art canvases.”) Buenos Aires has always taken its street art seriously, and recently partnered with “Google Street Art Project” to showcase over 270 of the city’s best art pieces. These include Martin Ron’s portrait of a sea turtle bursting from a pipe and Nunca’s politically charged pieces. To ensure you don’t miss a thing, consider taking one of the daily guided street art tours.
7.) Miami, US
Photo by Phillip Pessar / CC BY
Photo by Phillip Pessar / CC BY
Photo by Phillip Pessar / CC BY
Nestled between 2nd and 3rd Avenues in Miami, the area of Wynwood, Miami is bursting with vibrant murals that depict colorful comics, eye-boggling patterns and personal commentary. Every year, the city hosts “Art Basel” where artists like the famous Dabs & Myla, french artist “Kashink” and Haas & Hahn have come to make their mark. There are walking tours offered, but if you want to strike out on your own, try not to miss the dream-like mural by Tati Suarez on 2nd Ave. or the Superheroes on 27th St.
