Spanish most touristic cities feature the best post-graffiti and modern art, and the street art Barcelona movement is very active.
Let’s explore what’s been hot this 2012:
- Street art artists based in Barcelona
- Districts where to see the best street art and graffiti
- Experiences offered to alternative travellers
Will the Street art Barcelona be affected by the Independence movement?
Who are the most active members of the street art Barcelona?
This is a brief selection of artists who are currently working for the development of a sustainable and responsible modern art scene in town.
1-. Btoy, women’s empowerment
Andrea Michaelsson (1977, Barcelona) is one of our favourite street art Barcelona artists.
She splendidly talks about equality between women and men in her artworks. The figures of important worldwide women are represented with stencils.
Mrs. Michelson’s messages reflect the urgent necessity for a global change. An impact on how are we doing things and how the society should equally respect everybody.
2-. Gauté Mao, extremely defined stencils
Ever walked around El Raval or El Born neighborhoods and found children or female faces painted with the stenciling technique?
Then, if you did so, you should know that the artist is known as Guaté Mao. For those of you who are not familiar with his artworks, we will let you check the above picture and continue exploring in the streets.
Most of the images represented belong to citizens from different ethnicities who express their joy, anger, fear or surprise.
2-. Bronik, art from Peru with love
Bronik is a Peruvian female street art artists based in Barcelona.
She does not only travel all around the world painting her female figures and bodies in the streets, but she also does studio artworks, as the majority of her street art friends.
What’s common in her artworks is the long hair that all her characters wear, and the references to her ancestors’ lifestyle.
Check her instagram for her beautiful & colorful illustrations on wall, canvas or stencils.
3-. El xupet Negre, in the game since 1985
This graphic designer and Barcelona’s graffiti pioneer started his career back in the late 80s, the decade after the end of Franco’s dictatorship.
Influenced by pop art, he defines himself a logo-art artist, because of the dummy used by kids. (The name’s idea popped up in a former chess club in Barcelona called The black gold).
He is now one of the Spanish street art artists who permanently lives from his art. These are some of the international art events where he has participated in recent years:
- Art Basel, Miami (United States)
- Bacú Art fair, Bogotá (Colombia)
- The China Wall, Suzhou (China)
4-. Konair aka Onergizer
Konair is a 27 years old artist, born and raised in Barcelona, who has been painting graffiti art since he was 14.
It all started because of fun, just to express himself, but suddenly art became one of his passions.
Street art allows me to reclaim freedom for the public spaces. I still feel excited about wall painting and murals. It’s a necessity to take the space that belongs to the street and urban art.
Quote obtained from Konair’s official facebook page.
A while ago, he started mixing canvas and photography to communicate himself in different ways. “Expression without limits” as he says.
Which neighborhoods should travelers visit the best street art Barcelona?
If you are soon visiting this almost 5.5 millions inhabitants city, there is no need to travel that far out from the city center to discover the best street art in Barcelona.
The train system will take you within minutes from one area of the city to the next, but we always recommend our guests to walk, walk and walk.
That’s the way you will “get lost” and end up discovering really cool spots, cafes and shops.
– El Raval ‘suburb’, ‘rabad’ in Arabic word.
It’s located towards the south side of La Rambla, probably Barcelona’s most famous street. El Raval goes from Avenida Parallel towards Poble Sec neighborhood, and it contains amazing artworks!
Street art artists use different techniques, and these are just 3 examples of local artists contributing to the modern art in the city:
- Seta,
- Konair,
- Debens.
If we would have to choose a place where to start our route in El Raval to see the street art in the area, we would select MACBA as the meeting point– the Barcelona Contemporary Museum of Modern Art.
Enjoy your self-guided walking tour in Barcelona!
– El Born and El Gotic districts
Starting on Arc de Triomf metro station, we would walk towards Montana shop, where you can currently see the studio artwork of El Niño de las Pinturas, Granada’s famous graffiti writer.
What kind of artworks will you see?
- Stencils
- Paste ups
- Graffiti walls
The area across Jaume I, located between Carrer Ataulf, Carrer Templars and Carrer Milans offers great street art artworks.
Don’t forget to visit Base Elements (Carrer del Palau, 6), where a unique experience for graffiti lovers awaits you at Barcelona’s most important urban art gallery.
– The street art Barcelona at Poblenou
A former industrial area on Barcelona’s northern side has been turned into a live street art museum, where may even spot artists painting during daylight hours.
Some of factories were abandoned and then torn down, but the rest were restored and turned into offices and homes.
To get here, take the metro line #4 to ‘Parc del centre de Poblenou’ and then walk towards any of the following streets:
- Carrer Pere IV
- Selva de Mar
- Carrer de Venezuela
What are the street art Barcelona alternative experiences?
Cooltourspain has created a national network of street art guides and artists who develop unique experiences around the country.
It is the street art Barcelona which represents, along with Madrid, the majority of 2019 visitors. They came from different parts of the world and participated in our activities:
– Street art tour Barcelona
A walking guided visit might be the perfect option for those who have 2-3 hours of their time to dedicate to urban exploration.
Get your photo cameras ready because Antoine, a local passionate street art hunter, will share his street art Barcelona -wide- knowledge with you.
You should know that he is not the typical tour guide, who only offers information. Mr. Careil will encourage you to participate!
He frequently asks questions related to the street art graffiti industries, giving you enough time to elaborate the TIER3 level of thinking required on these answers.
– Bamboo bike street art Barcelona
Ever heard of the Gardens of the three chimneys?
This power station located few metres away from the Paral-lel metro station (L3 & L2) was built in the early XX century by the Barcelona Traction Power and Light Company.
It is now one of the few places in town where the city council, in collaboration with Murs Lliures and Rebobinart, allow visitors to paint.
The bamboo bikes street art tour will take you to see them!
– Graffiti workshops Barcelona
What kind of groups do usually request the services?
- Team buildings
- MICE & DMC companies in Barcelona
- Hen do & bachelor parties
Our opinion about the street art Barcelona
We believe that the Street art Barcelona is probably the most active and important in the country.
Since the early 90’s the city council and several local associations have promoted events and collaborations with artists travelling from other countries.
Thanks to that collaboration Barcelona street art movement is one of the most relevant, especially because of the graffiti train painting.
Are you willing to stay in the city? Don’t forget to check a Hotel in Barcelona, Spain: Our selection of hotels in Barcelona, where you can find hotel at the lowest rate, check availability and booking online, facilities, services, room rates, and choose a cheap price and find the best hotel in Barcelona.
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