Urban Art Lovers, Rejoice!
Street art is so much more than just tagging. It's an impermanent public art form that's fully accessible to the public, beautifying empty concrete walls and adding character to cities. Street artists sometimes have a complicated relationship with the government, giving their artwork an edginess you won't find in museums. If you love art, check out these 20 famous street art cities.
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1. Berlin, Germany
Home to some of the most iconic pieces of street art including "The Fraternal Kiss," Berlin is basically an open-air gallery. Much of the art is a political commentary in keeping with the city's unique and troubled history.
2. Bogotá, Colombia
Street art has been decriminalized in Bogotá since a tragic incident that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old street artist in 2011. Since then, the movement has exploded, and now Bogotá is one of the top street art destinations in the world.
3. New York City, USA
Since the 70s, New York City has been a street art hub, growing alongside hip-hop and rap culture. The city is now home to some of the most praised pieces in the world including Keith Haring’s “Crack is Wack” and Banksy's Bowery Wall Mural.
4. Buenos Aires, Argentina
With laws around street art being relatively relaxed in Argentina, Buenos Aires attracts some of the best urban artists. The city is home to the world's longest mural, painted singlehandedly by El Regreso de Quinquela.
5. Brussels, Belgium
The proud birthplace comics, Brussels is adorned by plenty of comic book-themed street art. Visitors to the city can walk what is referred to as the "comic book route," a map of all the major comic book murals around the city center.
6. London, U.K.
Street art in London came about in the 1960s and 70s with the rise of punk rock. Neighborhoods like Brick Lane and Camden Market have become synonymous with street art.
7. Bristol, U.K.
The birthplace of elusive graffiti king Banksy, you'd be hard pressed to find a blank wall in Bristol. The movement grew alongside the burgeoning DJ and hip-hop culture in the 1980s.
8. Melbourne, Australia
Known as the "stencil capital of the world" for its early embrace of this artform, Melbourne is world-renowned for its street art. You can find iconic pieces by the likes of Keith Haring, Banksy, and Tom Gerrard.
9. George Town, Malaysia
George Town, Malaysia became known as the street art capital of Asia after the local government commissioned artist Ernest Zacharevic to do a series of public art pieces. The whimsical artworks he created are unique because they incorporate objects like bicycles and swings.
10. Kyiv, Ukraine
The streets of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv are packed with public art pieces that double as political statements. A lot of them capture the nation's complicated history and ongoing battle for independence and peace.
11. Valparaiso, Chile
Valparaiso became an artists' hub when in the 1940s, world-renowned poet Pablo Neruda invited a community of Mexican artists to his home town of Valparaiso. Street art on the narrow streets of the city continued in secret even through the brutal military dictatorship in the 1970s under Pinochet. When he was overthrown, it just exploded even further.
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12. Montreal, Canada
Some of Montreal's most major boulevards are open-air galleries for street art thanks to the local government's efforts to promote and fund street art since the 1960s. Every June, the city has a 10-day mural festival celebrating street art.
13. Istanbul, Turkey
Over the past few years, as the political situation in Turkey worsens, street art spreads as an outlet for expression and protest. The annual mural Istanbul festival allows artists to create artwork across the city.
14. Los Angeles, USA
Los Angeles has always been an art destination but in the early 21st century, street art was banned to cater to commercial interests. Artists struggled to create public murals legally which gave rise to an illegal movement of street artists who made art in the dead of night, the most notable group being the Metro Transit Assassins (MTA).
15. Kingston, Jamaica
The birthplace of reggae, ska, and dub isn't just known for its music but its street art too. Reggae beats are nicely complimented by colorful murals all over the city, helping the concrete jungle regenerate into a cultural center for arts.
16. Lodz, Poland
Lodz was a bleak, forgotten city in Poland struggling to find its feet after the fall of the USSR until 2009 when the Urban Forms Foundation, an independent organization that promotes the arts in Poland, was formed. With their support, Lodz was transformed into one of the top destinations for street art in Europe, known for its striking giant-sized murals.
17. Amsterdam, Netherlands
As if the city wasn't already beautiful enough, the historic cobblestone streets are home to vibrant art pieces and stencils. Some of them pay homage to the country's complicated past such as the famous mural of Anne Frank, while others are modern social commentary that resonates with the young, alternative population.
18. Mexico City, Mexico
After the Mexican Revolution, the government commissioned street art to get their message out to the largely illiterate masses; however, artists began to resist the government's message and just create based on their own ideas. Now, street artists have free reign to create as long as they have permission from building owners.
19. Barcelona, Spain
In Barcelona, the end of the repressive Franco dictatorship in the 1970s led to an explosion of artistic expression. The El Raval neighborhood is one of the most famous street art destinations in the city, home of the Three Chimneys Urban Park, built just for street art.
20. Budapest, Hungary
The historic city of Budapest is enhanced by stunning pieces of public art. Art lovers flock to the Jewish Quarter, the city's most famous street art spot where hidden alleyways are filled with contemporary murals and political art statements.
