Monday, January 19, 2015

Bogota Graffiti Tour

Christian and the group over at BOGOTA GRAFFITI led a 2.5 hour tour around the La Calendaria district, explaining the history of street art in Bogota and the unique position artists here have with it not being 'technically' illegal, but not always without peril. This leads to Bogota being covered in amazing art. Here's just a sample of some of the great things we saw. This is one of the single most fun things we've done on this trip. Check it out!


First mural we checked out. Note how it's partially painted over in the bottom right. Locals told the new owners to knock of their efforts to paint over the mural becuase it was so good. Woo!

Stencil work

Often political in nature



Escher would be proud

A Bogota artist who is now in NYC, did a series on the facelessness of the homeless, of who there are over 5 million in Colombia.

An unwritten code of ethics for artists leads to few people writing over other's work.

Some pieces can last for years as Bogota hasn't technically outlawed graffiti. This leads to mural work of incredible detail

Work from one of the most famous artists working on Bogota, Pez, from Spain.



Near a school. This school invited local artists to workshop at the school with students to help them learn skills to keep them out of trouble.

Some places will commission work, or just ask local artists to paint and give them free reign.


Sticker tagging is really popular here too. Our tour guide's sticker is up there.


A sculptor came to Bogota for a festival and brought 30 different pieces that are now hung throughout the La Calendaria district.


Because it's not officially illegal, many artists who began in other mediums can do pieces that take days to complete.




Side of a hostel that commissioned work. Collaboration of two artists.

Work of one of the grandfathers [literally; he's in his 60's] of Bogota street art. Easy to spot because his work has multiple eyes. Sig is 'Rodez'









Rodez has two sons, both of who do art. Here's one

and the other's work. Done in collaboration; father's work to the bottom left, other son to bottom right.

Rodez's tag takes forever to do, because he includes the names of many people he meets and talks to while doing his pieces. Therefore every tag is different. 

























Collaboration by one of the biggest female artists in Bogota [Ledania] and her boyfriend.  Her's is more 2d, his is more 3d [next pic]







1/3

2/3: 2 story piece done by APC, the most known collective art group in Bogota

3/3










The next 8 photos are part of a block-long wall done by 4 artists.  Took a week, all political stuff.




DJ Lu calls these 'war bugs' because war causes pain [like wasps] and spreads disease [like mosquitoes]








bullfighting was very popular in Bogota and recently outlawed [but may be coming back :(]  Many of the artists would protest it; this one was a collaboration of several [can you recognize Pez's work?]  Note on the left side where it says 'Fiesta para Todos' [party for all] and two bulls are changing the D to an R [making it party for bulls]



The group listening to Christian [center] our tour guide, an Aussie, who actually did some of the work you've seen in this album.  Won't spoil which though. :)

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