The 7 Capitals of Graffiti

The 1970s brought a new artistic subculture whose operational field was in urban environments. Hip-hop originated in New York, but its charisma quickly spread to the outskirts of cities around the world. Rap battles backed by 'scratches' and the impossible movements of breakdancing were the means of musical expression. In the visual arts, the ephemeral and clandestine signature dominated the streets. Graffiti became an oasis of color that broke the grey monotony of big cities. Urban art was the silent scream of youth claiming urban architecture as their own right. Artists have honed their techniques, leaving their mark in the form of works that rival those displayed in art galleries. Some graffiti, far from 'dirtying' the landscape, give a unique character to the city, and their stunning beauty leaves passersby in awe. Here are the cities showcasing some of the most impressive graffiti in the world:

Germany's capital has the highest concentration of graffiti in all of Europe. The remnants of the wall were colored by the ingenuity of hundreds of urban artists, with the scene of 'The Kiss' between Erich Honecker and Leonid Brezhnev being the visitors' favorite. Besides the wall, the former factories of East Germany, now transformed into self-managed spaces, have become true galleries of spray art.

Bristol is synonymous with the most popular mysterious graffiti artist in the world. The port city was the birthplace of Banksy's works, of which four are currently preserved. The passion for aerosol spread throughout the city, where all kinds of illustrations can be found, done with various techniques and themes, ranging from futurism to realism. El Mac's Chicano style has also left its mark on this British urban landscape.

Querétaro has emerged as one of the top references for street art in Mexico. Graffiti artists are fully integrated into the city, so much so that in 2017, administrative penalties for painting the streets were eliminated. Moreover, periodically, the city council offers free walls for artists to unleash their creativity. Additionally, the Mexican city hosts various urban art festivals that attract considerable followership.

Urban art intrinsically lives in the streets of Madrid. The pioneer was Muelle, whose signature was a classic during the Madrid Movida, and a remnant was recently discovered on Montera Street - the only remaining signature of the graffiti artist today. Projects such as Pinta Malasaña, Muros Tabacalera, or Paisaje Tetuán have helped dispel the association of vandalism with street art. On the streets of Madrid, one can admire works by Suso33, San, Okuda, or Borondo, among others.

Graffiti Lane is a street made by and for urban art. Artists from Perth, Glasgow, Auckland, and San Salvador transformed this street into a hotbed of spray art, with the consent of the Melbourne city council.

The steep streets of San Francisco have been the epicenter of urban art in the California Bay Area. On Ocean Avenue, the impressive mural by Diego Rivera is preserved. However, graffiti has its own identity in the Mission, a neighborhood with Latin roots that stands out for the influx of artistic vanguards. One of its major symbols is the so-called 'women in time mural,' created by seven female artists in 1971. Moreover, on 24th Street, the city's structures reflect social and activist proclamations with over 80 graffiti created by the locals themselves. Additionally, every October, the Clarion Alley Mural Project is celebrated, a festival where music and painting come together in a solidarity project, where donations collected with each ticket - the price is free - go toward purchasing graphic materials for emerging artists.

A1one was the first graffiti artist to bring color to the streets of Tehran, becoming an icon of Islamic graffiti. The activist character of his works has forced him to maintain anonymity, but his actions have inspired many other urban artists like Magoi, MAD, Nafir, and Icy and Sot to take over the walls of the Iranian capital. The pictorial styles of the city are marked by a strong political component, exemplified by Black Hand, known as the Iranian Banksy. Furthermore, government circles promoted a campaign to beautify the city through spray art, solely for aesthetic purposes and in homage to the Iranian Revolution.