Street art is a form of an artist’s self-expression in terms of imagery and symbolism, meant to convey personal messages or social critiques to the viewer.
Very few places in the world provide artists the liberty to express themselves, for the world to see and interpret. Here I have taken the labor to compile the list of places where your eyes can quench its thirst with some raw art.
Let’s dive right into the list of cities with the best street art to offer, in no particular order of course.
Street Art in Mexico City
Mexico City has been famous for its murals of historical significance, boosted after the “All City Canvas”, a legal graffiti and street art project. It saw the sun with permissions that took almost a year to take. 9 artists both locals and from across the world came to paint the city as it is today.
One of the most incredible experience is exploring the city on foot without spending a single penny. Look for artworks especially by artists like Roa, Mr. Fly, Farid Rueda, and Axolotl Collective. The first spot you must go to is La Romita priding itself as one of the liveliest pieces of all. Other places that one must visit include, Playa del Carmen, San Miguel de Allende, Puebla, Puerto Vallarta, Isla Holbox, Tijuana, La Paz, and Monterrey.
Street Art Capital; Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne has the distinction of being one of the World’s biggest and free-living art galleries. To experience the world’s best street art, pin the following locations on your map:
Melbourne as a city identifies the fact that public spaces provide a platform for artistic expression. You’ll find everything from art to activism, social commentary by the Doctor, to Murals by Shida.
Talking walls of Bethlehem, West Bank Palestine
Palestine has one of the most thought-provoking, politically aware and sensitive street art content. The famous “Security Wall” constructed by Israel is by far the best place to experience different perspectives of writers, artists and activists come together in one place. The strongest content is visible in Bethlehem. There’s another religion developing in the city where Jesus was born, the Street Art Religion! The street art is basically the “Political Commentary” for the viewers to learn more about the entire situation. Famous pieces to look out for are, The “Armored Dove”, The “Girl Frisking Soldier” now inside a postcards shop, The “Protester throwing Flowers”, and “Angel Scattering Hearts” along the separation wall are famous works by Banksy.
Street art in London, UK
Although visiting London is nothing less than a luxury. Although heavy on your pocket but you still can go around and explore the street art without spending anything. Leake Street Tunnel is certainly declared as a legal place to spray. It rose to fame after the well-known street artist, Banksy held “Festival of Cans” here. It’s a 300-meter long tunnel underneath Waterloo Station. It is claimed that you won’t see the same art the next day here. Brick Lane can be called as a place for a treasure hunt, with some of the most interesting works of Graffiti and Street art to offer. Brick Lane and Shoreditch technically converge, in Shoreditch, there’s mostly paid advertising going on, in the form of Graffiti art such as Amara Por Dios, sponsored by Sony. Don’t forget to visit Camden and Hackney wick to get your hands on some more great pieces of art.
Street Art in Yoga Capital of the World; Rishikesh, India
Located in the foothills of Himalayas in the North of India, stands the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’. Street art in Rishikesh is not only restricted to buildings but tin roofs, Broken metal doors and bridges etc. Rishikesh Street Art festival is also a famous phenomenon started by people behind the beautiful street art across the city, giving artists the legal opportunity to create “hidden artwork”. One can find these masterpieces at the nooks and crannies of the city.
Lynch’s Muse; Lodz, Poland
Lodz is famous for being the artistic inspiration to David Lynch. Anyone having even a bit of liking for Lynch will manage to find the reason for this city’s uniqueness. Before heading there, do your research over internet and you’ll be amazed by the amount of art stretched across the city. It won’t be difficult to map the history of street art in Poland as the country has a culture of expressing creativity in urban public spaces. Murals by Aryz from Spain and Os Gemeos brothers from Brazil are some of the numerous ones beautifying the place with their meaningful art. A colorful bird mural by Hygienic Dress League; the Detroit based artists, can be located near the Museum of Cinematography on Miedziana Street, others including Bang! by Etam Cru and SatOne in 2011, Artur Rubenstein Mural;a depiction of the classical pianist by Brazillian artist Kobra in 2014, Poland’s 1st and world’s 3rd 3D Mural by an Italian artist ‘AWeR’.
Living Art Work in NYC, USA
New York City is brimming with some of the best street artwork in the world. Street art came to a bigger picture in New York in the early 1980’s and ever since tons of artists from across the world have rushed in to beautify this Concrete Jungle with their masterpieces. It won’t be wrong to call NYC a treasure chest of some good quality Street Art. Some famous Murals include:
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Banksy’s Hammer Boy in 2013 on 79th Street near Broadway
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Tats Cru’s Big Pun Memorial to pay homage to late Puerto Rican hip-hop artist
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The Bushwick Collective, an outdoor street art gallery in Brooklyn
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Coney Art Walls, on Stillwell Avenue Brooklyn, is one of the most visited spots in NYC
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The Freedom Tunnel located beneath Riverside Park is focused on raising awareness of the homeless in the region
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L.I.S.A. Project NYC is a collection of fascinating artwork in Mulberry St. Little Italy
Have pictures to treasure? Share your experience in the comments below!