Street Art Appreciation

A couple of weeks ago, Maria Popova published a review of books dedicated to street art on Brain Pickings. I’m hoping someone will buy one of them for me for Christmas (hint, hint).

Street art is one of my favorite things to photograph when I travel. Here’s my first snapshot, taken in San Franscisco’s Mission District.

I hit the street art jackpot earlier this year in Argentina, a country that takes its freedom of expression very seriously. In Buenos Aires, graffiti is a visual form of political speech; even (especially?) government buildings become canvasses. Often, it has a political message. And it’s everywhere, not just the country’s capital. This wall, marked with pro-labor messages, struck me as I walked from the impoverished outskirts of Bariloche towards the touristy Mitre.

Other times, it’s philosophical. This human silhouette is filled with words lamenting the individualistic times we lived in; a lone figure expressing lonely thoughts.

And there is plenty that is whimsical and fun. This one cracks me up when I look at it — it’s so bizarre and friendly at the same time!

The best part of this ongoing travel project of mine is that it’s made me more aware of street art in my own city. I was getting out of cab to meet friends for dinner in Soho when I noticed this one, which I thought was so perfectly “downtown” (in typical New York fashion, it was gone the next time I passed by so I’m glad I captured it):

Do you love street art too? Tweet me your favorites @thinksomandy, using hash tag #streetartrocks!