BEST GRAFFITI SPOTS — SILVIA TODHE

A platform for the voiceless, graffiti is some of the most sought after art. Here are the world’s best graffiti spots.

The blank canvas(es) for graffiti — bridges, buildings, and subways — gave a platform for the voiceless, a way for artists to express themselves and rebel against norms. Artists like Keith Haring, Invader, and Banksy pushed the boundaries of what’s considered ‘art’ with their world renowned graffiti.

Graffiti is a form of visual communication that involves writing or drawing on public surfaces, such as walls, buildings, or sidewalks. This art is created with various tools like spray paint, markers, and stencils. It is often associated with subcultures and countercultures, such as hip-hop, punk, and skateboarding.

Although graffiti is incredibly beautiful and thought provoking, too often it is seen as a form of vandalism and a violation of private property. Many cities and municipalities have laws and regulations against graffiti, and some even view it as a blight on their communities.

Despite controversies, graffiti continues to be an important part of contemporary culture, influencing everything from fashion to advertising to fine art. This visually stimulating medium can reveal a lot about a place and its people, making visiting murals and other public installations so popular when exploring a community.

As you will discover, Graffiti varies from country to country and city to city, representing the values and voices of its communities. Here are some of the best graffiti art destinations to visit from around the world:

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Bright pigments line the alleyways in this Down Under city. In a 2008 Lonely Planet survey, Melbourne’s street art was named Australia’s most popular cultural attraction. Despite this statistic, the government of the graffiti management plan carefully monitors it, reviews applications from new and established talented artists, dismantling illegal installation and commissioning pieces.

You can spot state-approved works are done by Anthony Lister and Rone throughout Hosier and Caledonian Lanes in the Central Business District. You can also find Massive Street Art in Union Street and Bourke street.

It’s not uncommon to see newlyweds posing for wedding photos in front of murals, or local groups such as Melbourne Street Tours pointing out a new masterpiece in Hosier Lane. Love it or hate it, street art — when done right — can leave its chromatic fingerprint on a community.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

London is a playground for Banksy, the eminent (and anonymous) street artist known for his satirical depictions. For travelers that are feeling similarly rebellious and fatigued by the beaten path, Shoreditch, the gateway to London’s East End, is the place to be.

Wherever you look, stickers, sculptures and spray paint embellish the district’s buildings. Shoreditch Street Art Tours’ guide NoLionsInEngland has spent more than a decade photographing, writing and critiquing the area, and can provide an inside look at the movement.

DIRCKSENSTRASSE, GERMANY

If you walk along the train tracks on Dircksenstrasse from Hackescher Markt until Alexanderplatz, you’ll discover a wide array of street art creations by both unknown and famous artists along a roughly half-mile stretch of wall.

The art displayed here covers a wide range of mediums, including paste-ups, poster art, sculptures, sticker art, graffiti, and stencil art. The street art landscape here also changes quickly so you can always expect to find something new.

LOS ANGELES, USA

Historically, music and graffiti have gone hand in hand, from album covers to underground publicity stunts, and Los Angeles has been a nurturing mother to both respective art forms. Often dubbed the “Creative Capital of the World,” murals can be found in almost every nook and cranny from the Venice to Los Feliz neighborhoods.

For a self-guided outing, Mural Maps LA is a Google Maps overlay that marks locations to admire street art. If clients prefer an escorted experience, LA Art Tours conducts a treasure-hunt-style walking tour around downtown LA and the Arts District. The transitory nature of the paintings keeps things fresh and exciting — what’s there today could be gone tomorrow.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY

Since 2012, the annual street art festival Mural Istanbul has turned the buildings of the historic Kadikoy neighborhood into a vivid outdoor museum. Through a partnership between the municipal government and CEKUL Foundation, which protects and promotes cultural values, extraordinary painters are brought in from abroad to not only beautify dreary blank facades, but also to cultivate local talent. Its resounding success has catapulted the city to the forefront of the public art scene.