It’s been one year already since we started our guided visits to discover Madrid street art. We analyzed the movement, studied its consequences, asked neighbors, talked to curators & guests who participated in our daily street art tours in Madrid. These are all the thoughts shared by people involved with graffiti art in Madrid.
These were the advantages found in Madrid street art.
1-. Considered as an artistic style, the artists who belong to the Madrid street art movement are turning the roads into a free open-air museum. We love it!
2-. The economy of those neighborhoods which include street art festivals/events in their calendars might increase due to the fact of more visitors attending and spending money. This effect might be seen in Lavapiés or Malasaña (CALLE Lavapiés & Pinta Malasaña festivals).
3-.Madrid street art is committed to all audiences involvement. We might observe as the artists from Boa Mistura or Ink and movement worked hand to hand with different associations such as Plena Inclusión Madrid and Fundación a la par. Their goal is to achieve all people’s inclusion and they really got hands to work!
4-. In a world prominently dominated by a male figure, Madrid street art offers the opportunity to many female artists to develop their artwork. Julieta XLF or Alice Pasquini are some of the artists who developed their work in the city. Haven’t you seen their creations already?
5-. Not only this movement involves social and cultural ideas but an educational part too. Street art workshops are also offered to middle and high school students. Cooltourspain teaches how to create stencils. These activities are leaded by local graffiti writers.
Negative ideas observed in Madrid street art.
1-. While the majority of people think that graffiti could create a great impact in the society, there is still a tiny amount of citizens who believe that tagging is disturbing and deteriorates the cities.
2-.Those artists who create their artwork in styrofoam boards, tiles or other similar materials might be affected too. How? There are thieves who steal their creations. Por Favor, an artist representing Madrid street art once mentioned that a kid was stealing his and many other artists work to hang them in his room! Impressive, huh? Just 12 years old!
3-. Store owners who pay to get their metal shutters or walls decorated are also affected by illegal graffiti writers who paint over other’s creations. Do you also consider it as an irresponsible act? What do you think?
4-. In a near future, cars will also be affected by the street art movement. Have you ever seen on the internet self-driving cars? In an article written by Ars Technica UK it is mentioned that traffic signals which include stickers or plastic vynils may disorient or confuse the directions that cars need to obbey.
5-. Renfe, Cercanias and metro trains may also observe and suffer the consequences of graffiti art in Madrid. There are several crews who have decorated the wagons with their tags. Have you observed anyone recently?
Our opinion about Madrid street art.
There are no words needed to explain that we simply love to see the art in the streets. It doesn’t matter to us if it has been developed in a metal shutter illegaly or curated during a street art festival in Madrid. There are many feelings expressed and the way it’s analyzed will always depend on one’s eyes. What’s yours?
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