Embajadores district is probably the city center’s area that features the highest number of graffiti in Madrid. Whether legal or illegal, these are the writers who contributed to the street art in Lavapies.
Please note that the following graffitis in Lavapies may have been destroyed or partially covered by the time you read this article. For updated 24/7 news, contact us through Facebook.
Who are the local artists working towards the development of the street art in Lavapies?
Cooltourspain is proud to promote and advertise local artists who are continuously contributing to the art scene in town.
They participate at legal festivals such as Muros Tabacalera and CALLE, or risk their time & money to paint the best street art in Lavapiés. This is a brief list that mentions some of them, but obsviously that not all of them are included.
1-. NSN997, Italian roots.
We particularly like this Italian crew not only because of the awards that have recognized them as more than talented creators, but also because of the slogans that they usually add to their artworks.
It is interesting to observe that the faces featured in their pictures correspond in the majority of the cases to local people.
2-. Ampparito, the neighbor who creates street art in Lavapies.
It’s been several times that we have featured him on Instagram @Ampparito.
He lives right in Embajadores district and according to his words “…it’s been a pleasure to contribute to the urban landscape of the area where I now live”.
These are some other locations where you may have seen his artwork, where he plays with the elements around him, creating such an impact in the viewer:
- Ekatimburg, Russia @ Stenograffia festival
- Basilea, Switzerland @ Colab Gallery.
- Milan, Italy @ Cox18.
3-. ‘El rey de la ruina’, Madrid-Barcelona connection.
His hearts decorate metal shutters around Malasaña, Tetuan or Embajadores area. Just to mention some neighborhoods where you will observe his artworks.
El Rey de la Ruina suffers from ‘enlarged heart’ and it was when he was diagnosed with it when he started painting.
You may find this artwork close to El Rastro.
4-. Mr. Piro, emergent creator in the art scene.
This article’s heading picture corresponds to a 24 years old artist known as Piro.
To us, he paints natural landscapes in which the drops are the society’s tears. Clouds which are full of emotions in which every visitor could see him/herself represented.
What does it mean to you? Check out the pieces of wood that the removal company is taking, because it could be worth at least couple thousand euros.
Are there any international artists who contributed to the street art in Lavapies?
Yes, there are.
Some of them are curated by MSAP, a social local project which has already brought international artists to paint at festivals of street art in Lavapies, Malasaña, Villaverde, Rivas and Alcobendas, just to mention a few in our Autonomous Community.
Guillermo, Diana and Rocio commissioned several internationally known artists to contribute to the street art in Madrid, and we will show you who they are and what they painted.
5-. ‘Pro176‘, Graffiti’s French godfather.
Influenced by American comic books and rap, this Parisian started painting at the age of 5. Urvanity art, an art Madrid project brought him to a small & narrow street behind Mercado de San Fernando (Calle Tribulete, 18)
His artwork is featured in the Madrid street art map we curated last month, and also analyzed during our street art tours. Do you like his post-neocubism style?
6-. Nemo, the Italian ‘nobody’.
This Italian artist will shake your ground from the first glance.
Did you know that his name ‘Nemo’ was taken from “Twenty thousand leagues under the sea”, and Winsor McKay’s first comic strips?
He swapped from graffiti writing to drawing because he wanted to express through images those things he couldn’t express with words. Interesting, huh?
7-. ‘Poni’, from Mexico with love.
Hilda Palafox brought from Mexico a great feminist speech.
Her murals talk about how vulnerable we are in the society and the strength we are required to have in order to survive.
Cooltourspain’s team picks for the street art in Lavapies.
Gerardo, Patri, Javi & Santi, as everybody else, have their own personal choices and preferences.
We asked our team members which were their favorites, and this is what came out from their minds…
8-. ‘Me Lata’, a recycled cans project based in Barcelona.
Santiago loves the ephemeral art that these two activists anonymously create in the streets. Their artistic project is based in the ‘positivism’ and the love expression that they have for each other.
If you didn’t mention, they are engaged!
The artwork shown in the picture might be found in Calle de Fray Ceferino Gonzalez.
9-. Yipi Yipi Yeah, such a curious and fancy name!
The street art in Lavapiés, and Madrid in general, is perfectly represented by a local project called Yipi Yipi Yeah.
Patricia once asked them why they used the traffic signals to create their work, and this is what they answered.
“What if you wouldn’t have the money to get inside a Museum? You would probably have less opportunities to develop your intelligence. Thus we add plastic vinyls to the traffic signals so that everybody has access to art, no matter what your economic status is.“
10-. Keru de Kolorz, the scribing master.
Javier is impressed by the fine lines that Keru draws in his canvas. He has won several art contests thanks to his drawing skills, using both hands to spray paint at the same time.
This local artist loves featuring cartoons, and these are some of the creations that we may see around Madrid city:
- Pinocchio
- Goofie
- Garfield
- Mickey