The evolution of street art
Could we say that cave paintings were the first street art? Certainly there was graffiti on the streets of Greek and Roman cities. Modern street art may have begun with intricately decorated public transport property in 1920s New York, but these days street art has evolved into something much more all-encompassing (and some would say more commercial) than just spray-painted graffiti.
So many cities, so much art
One of the largest street art installations in the world
Let’s start with a super-cool American city – Miami, whose beaches, vibrant nightlife and Latin American/Caribbean cuisine are reasons enough for a visit. However, Miami is also the place to see one of the largest street art installations in the world: the Wynwood Walls project covers an impressive 50 blocks of previously derelict warehouses and factories that are now a huge outdoor canvas for street artists from all over the world.
Explore a wonderland of street art in Dallas
Miami is not the only American city with a reputation for street art, of course; glamourous Dallas is home to the Deep Ellum district, another wonderland of street art that has emerged from a formerly run-down industrial district. If you decide to visit Dallas to explore Deep Ellum, you will also be able to experience the larger-than-life vibe of the sports events, shiny shopping centres and summer rodeos, not to mention those world-famous Tex-Mex eateries.
Latin America is one of the best places to see cool graffiti and street art
There is a strong tradition of street art and graffiti as a means of expression and protest in Latin America, as well as a well-established recognition of murals as an art form. Latin American countries that have lived through periods of oppression have seen a flourishing of first graffiti and then street art.
Santiago de Chile is a world-class capital of street art, with an interesting evolution of both large-scale classic graffiti and a fizzing commercial street-art eco-system. The sheer scale and beauty of the Paseo Bandera installation, for example, is breathtaking. Santiago de Chile is well worth a visit for many reasons, including its fabulous location between the mountains and the sea, allowing it to join a select group of cities that can boast of skiing and sea bathing in the same day. Then, there are the fascinating fresh-produce markets, the interesting street food and the quality wines, the colonial architecture and the many intriguing student districts with their little independent shops and cafes.
Every country in Latin America has its own street art story
Another Latin American street art destination is Bogotá, in Colombia. It used to be a battleground with clashes between artist-activists and authorities, but then official attitudes to street art changed; as a result, Bogotá is a riot of colourful murals, graffiti and street art.
People tend to avoid the rainy summer and autumn months when they visit Bogotá. They can enjoy the cool mountain air in winter and spring, spending time outside, strolling through the historical Candelaria district, stopping to sample Colombia’s distinctive cuisine at the many bars and restaurants, and drinking in the street art that has played a big part in the revitalisation of the older parts of the city.
Art lovers also flock to the Botero Museum, to marvel at Colombian artist Fernando Botero’s extremely quirky sculptures and paintings, some of them bizarrely reminiscent of Beryl Cook’s distinctive seaside style and yet totally original and unique.
The United Kingdom has produced street art and street artists of many kinds
One of the most famous street artists in the world began stencilling his acerbic visual commentary on current affairs in Bristol in the 1990s, and even now, almost 30 years later, we still only know his pseudonym: Banksy.Bristol has always had a vibrant street art scene, and the Stokes Croft area is the backdrop for one of the largest collections of street art. As so often happens, a semi-derelict industrial district has enjoyed an unexpected renaissance, thanks to the power of street art. Dean Lane skatepark is also worth a visit, if you want to see wall-to-wall lexical graffiti rather than figurative murals.
Of course, there is more to Bristol than street art – visitors come to the city for its impressive if contentious architectural heritage, for its food culture and to use it as a base for nearby coast, river and countryside attractions. Another UK ‘capital’ of street art is Ulster, Northern Ireland. The conflicts known as The Troubles fuelled an unprecedented outpouring of political art in the form of huge, highly accomplished figurative murals. They often cover the windowless end-walls of terraces of houses in the Bogside area of Derry/Londonderry and the blankness of the notorious peace walls in Belfast.
treet art as a means of freedom of expression
Egypt is the birthplace of Alaa Awad, an influential street artist whose work can be seen on walls in Cairo and Luxor. One of the distinctive features of Awad’s creations is the use of historical references in commentaries on current affairs; Egyptians were surprised to see his images addressing contemporary themes using his own neo-pharaonic style when his murals first appeared in 2012.
Egypt is not the only country in the Arab world to boast of a thriving street art scene. Amman, the capital of Jordan, hosts the edgy Baladk Festival of Street Art, and awareness of the revitalising effects of street art is growing here. The murals and painted steps are worth checking out if you travel to Jordan for more traditional reasons, to enjoy the spa hotels on the shores of the Dead Sea, for example, or to experience the ancient wonders of Petra and the five Roman sites. Libya is another Arab country that saw a flowering of street art immediately after the fall of the Gaddafi regime, as people vented their true feelings by means of murals and graffiti. There are restrictions on travel to Tripoli and other Libyan cities.
Wherever you go, there will be street art!
When you travel, make sure you add a few hours to your schedule to seek out street art, not only for its own sake but also because it tends to lead you to the liveliest, most up-and-coming districts of the city you are visiting, and not just in capital cities. Many second-cities are home to as much or more street art than the capital; prime examples include Bergen, in Norway, and Porto, in Portugal – and don’t forget that KAYAK is here to help you plan your trip.
Please refer to the travel restrictions page on the KAYAK website for the most up-to-date travel restrictions before booking your travel.
