Mystery combined with breathtaking brilliance, the graffiti scene Columbia is one that should not go unnoticed.
(And hasn’t!, there are even tours! http://bogotagraffiti.com/about)
Bogota, Columbia
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Rodez, Bogota, Columbia
Unknown Date
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Unknown Artist or Date
Bogota, Columbia
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Rodez, Bogota Columbia
Unknown Date
Even artists that have very well known pieces such as Rodez have little media exposure in correlation with their work, so many pieces of street art may never be correlated with their true artists before they fade or are demolished.
Cartagena, Columbia
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Dexz, Cartagena, Columbia
Unknown Date
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Fin DAC, Cartagena, Columbia
Unknown Date
Fin DAC is a popular artist from London that has painting since 2007, many of his works feature black and white portraits with explosive bouts of color. (Catch up on his stuff on his Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/pages/finbarr-dac/102099492162?sk=timeline)
Maria Mulata
Yurika, Cartagena, Columbia
2013
Yurika on the other hand has a very large portfolio of which all feature very quick lines of colors and sparks across geometric explosions and many dripping portraits. He has been painting for 12 years and has been commissioned for many public art murals. His work can be found at http://yurikauno.tumblr.com
Cuidada Mural
Pez, Cartagena, Columbia
2013
Pez is another famous Cartagena artist that has been painting since 1999 and chose his title El Pez, which in spanish means fish, a prominent theme of his art. More of his collection can be found here http://www.el-pez.com/art/. I enjoy his creative use of his fishy symbol, many of his bold line work reminds me of Keith Haring and his dancing people or the collections of barking dogs.
“A little while ago, we were painting in the morning in front of the Escuela Militar, and four policemen stopped by. They asked us, ‘Have you had any coffee yet this morning?’”
-Assi-One
[italian graffiti artist talking about working in Bogota and the
permissive nature of police towards grafitti]
The acceptance of graffiti as a public art form definitely changes the way that it has grown in other countries. Suffering oppressive action in the United States, which classifies it as a crime instead of a violation , which in Bogota does not allow for detainment of the artist. This freedom allows graffiti artists to work with more stable paints and focus more time on their expression and execution of these murals.
Columbian art features many very bright bold colors and a feeling of excitation and celebration of life similar to the many festivals present in the culture. Many works feature faces or animals, transformed with expansive uses of color. I enjoyed all of the Columbian works, especially the Maria Mulata piece that features explosive bouts of color out of a very large depiction of a bird on the wall, the sheer size of this elates me alongside the capability of this art piece (like all street art) to intersperse with peoples daily lives.
Brody, Daniel. “Bogota’s graffiti scene get international attention”Columbia Reports. 2010. http://colombiareports.com/bogotas-graffiti-scene-attracts-international-interest/
Laura. “Bogota’s Street Art “Lauralovesit.wordpress. 2011. https://lauralovesit.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/bogotas-street-art/
Zara. “#StreetArt : Graffiti Around The World”. Backpackme. 2014. http://bkpk.me/streetart-graffiti-around-the-world/
so much depends 
Wow! This is some really amazing art! It is so interesting to me how strikingly different this is from most of the graffiti we see in the United States. There are so many colors used and such a variety of styles. I am also really impressed by the realism and the level of detail that the different artists included in their works. It is not often that you see a beautiful detailed portrait painted on the side of the building as graffiti. The sizes of these pieces are also incredible when compared to many traditional paintings. They use the space given to them, often incorporating the different parts of the building like the windows and doors into their piece. The size of these pieces and the fact that they often use buildings in their works reminds me of a very modern take on the old Renaissance works which were painted on walls and ceilings. The art from these two time periods have very different styles, meanings, and reception, but both are attempting to beautify the buildings on which they are painted.
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I never knew there were places that allowed graffiti, but then again I never leave the US. It’s really fascinating to see the product of more time and better materials that legality affords these artists. US graffiti is beautiful as well, but this is more planned and precise. The style is still there, the bold lines and quick strokes and jagged marks, but it’s so much more. The influence of the culture is apparent as well, the bright colors and the chosen animals and people shown all reflect the place the artists live in. It almost feels like there’s unleashed potential. It’s amazing for me to see people accepting this kind of art all around them. My favorite of the pictures here is the “Maria Mulata” because of the sheer amount of detail all blended together for this one figure. The bird almost looks like a living firework because it’s so full of color. This piece also shows off so many different techniques on one canvas with its explosion of color and line and shape. I really can’t get over the parrots in “Cuidada Mural.” They have a head with a beak on top of another mouth. It’s vaguely unsettling. Although, judging by the art on El Pez’s website, most of his work follows the same vein. The figures are cute, happy, and smiley, but there’s always something a bit strange, usually some deformity that is incorporated into the piece. It certainly makes the art interesting, and the sheer amount of action going on in each piece makes each work a bit of a scavenger hunt.
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