In many cities, ugly scribbles of graffiti are a sign of decay and neglect. This isn’t true in Bogota, where dozens of colorful “street artists” are repainting the city in creative ways:
The street artists of Bogota all have serious day jobs. They are college professors, graphic designers and authors. They don’t alway work under the cover of night- many have permission by the owners to use a building as their canvas. Some of their designs are political, some are funny and some are just beautiful:
Many of the graffiti artists in Bogota are well known for their distinct style and subject matter, such as Pez, who always paints big smiling bird-type creatures:
My favorite:
If you are in Bogota and want to learn more about the rich street art culture, I recommend the Bogota Graffiti Tour, which is in English and run on donations. It’s the best way to truly delve into the art which makes the city so pretty.