Bright walls, big city

USA

  • TEXT MIMI STAVE

A transitory art form it may be, but in some U.S. cities street art – graffiti, murals and colorful posters – ranks among the top attractions. An eye-opening tour of the urban jungle

The capital of street art New York is the acknowledged capital of this art form, and when young people began tagging buildings in the late sixties, they laid the foundations for a global movement.

Downtown Manhattan Graff Tour I New York
The capital of street art New York is the acknowledged capital of this art form, and when young people began tagging buildings in the late sixties, they laid the foundations for a global movement.

© Huber Images / Artist: Eduardo Kobra
This tour is an introduction to the history of graffiti and visits the most impressive older and more recent works. grafftours.com, 25 dollars

This tour is an introduction to the history of graffiti and visits the most impressive older and more recent works.
grafftours.com, 25 dollars

© dpa Picture-Alliance / Artist: Roa
Lufthansa operates three daily flights to New York (JFK and EWR) from Frankfurt (FRA), two from Munich (MUC) and one from Düsseldorf (DUS), and is the only airline to serve both airports from Germany.

Lufthansa operates three daily flights to New York (JFK and EWR) from Frankfurt (FRA), two from Munich (MUC) and one from Düsseldorf (DUS), and is the only airline to serve both airports from Germany.

© Pete Mariner / MIRRORPIX / Artist: Banksy
Bushwick, Brooklyn With a rough charm reminiscent of pre-hype Williamsburg, this neighborhood is an inspiring playground for experimental street artists. The 90-minute Bushwick ­Collective Graff Tour centers on Troutman Street, where local sprayers and fellow graffiti artists from all over the world leave their handiwork for posterity on old warehouse walls. grafftours.com

Bushwick Collective Graff Tour I New York
Bushwick, Brooklyn With a rough charm reminiscent of pre-hype Williamsburg, this neighborhood is an inspiring playground for experimental street artists. The 90-minute Bushwick ­Collective Graff Tour centers on Troutman Street, where local sprayers and fellow graffiti artists from all over the world leave their handiwork for posterity on old warehouse walls. grafftours.com, 20 dollars

© dpa Picture Alliance / Photoshot / Artist: unknown
The streets of Philadelphia Bruce Springsteen evoked them in his haunting song, and visitors strolling along the Mural Mile downtown will find the neighborhood’s special charm hard to resist. Thirty years ago, the Mural Arts Program initiative countered the ubiquitous urban gray with vibrant colors, transforming Philadelphia into a gallery beneath the open sky.

Mural Mile Walking Tours I Philadelphia
The streets of Philadelphia Bruce Springsteen evoked them in his haunting song, and visitors strolling along the Mural Mile downtown will find the neighborhood’s special charm hard to resist. Thirty years ago, the Mural Arts Program initiative countered the ubiquitous urban gray with vibrant colors, transforming Philadelphia into a gallery beneath the open sky. muralarts.org, 20 dollars
Getting there from Germany: Lufthansa operates daily flights from Frankfurt (FRA) to ­Philadelphia (PHL).

© Steve Weinik / Artist: James Burns
© Dagmar Schwelle / laif: Miami’s artist quarter The Wynwood Art District boasts more than 70 museums and galleries, but local opinion has it that the most exciting artworks are to be found on the streets, where visitors can view them on a walking or cycle tour. Your best bet is to let Ryan the Wheelbarrow, “Miami’s best graffiti guide” and organizer of the Mural Tour, tell you all about them.

Wynwood Mural Tour I Miami
Miami’s artist quarter The Wynwood Art District boasts more than 70 museums and galleries, but local opinion has it that the most exciting artworks are to be found on the streets, where visitors can view them on a walking or cycle tour. Your best bet is to let Ryan the Wheelbarrow, “Miami’s best graffiti guide” and organizer of the Mural Tour, tell you all about them. wynwoodmuraltours.com, 20 dollars
Lufthansa operates daily flights from Frankfurt (FRA) to Miami (MIA) on board an A380.

© Dagmar Schwelle / laif
© JR: Art-friendly Los Angeles The works of graffiti artists command high prices at urban art auctions here. Collectors include Hollywood star Brad Pitt. Streets artists of international repute, like France’s JR and mistress of detail Swoon, have immortalized themselves on the roofs and walls of the city. This tour takes in the works of well-established and also ­talented new local artists.

Downtown LA Arts District Graff Tour I Los Angeles
Art-friendly Los Angeles The works of graffiti artists command high prices at urban art auctions here. Collectors include Hollywood star Brad Pitt. Streets artists of international repute, like France’s JR and mistress of detail Swoon, have immortalized themselves on the roofs and walls of the city.

© Artist: JR
Lufthansa operates daily flights to San Fancisco (SFO) from Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). No other airline offers nonstop connections to San Francisco from Germany.

This tour takes in the works of well-established and also ­talented new local artists. grafftours.com, 25 dollars
Lufthansa operates daily flights to San Fancisco (SFO) from Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). No other airline offers nonstop connections to San Francisco from Germany.

© JR / laif / Artist: JR
Art-crazy San Francisco In addition to exhibiting works by street artists on its premises in the South of Market neighborhood, the 1AM gallery also runs tours of the area where street artists work. The highlight: At the end of the tour, you get a can of spray paint and the opportunity to create your own mural – all strictly legal and above board, naturally. 1amsf.com, 39 dollars Lufthansa operates daily flights to San Fancisco (SFO) from Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). No other airline offers nonstop connections to San Francisco from Germany.

Art-crazy San Francisco In addition to exhibiting works by street artists on its premises in the South of Market neighborhood, the 1AM gallery also runs tours of the area where street artists work. The highlight: At the end of the tour, you get a can of spray paint and the opportunity to create your own mural – all strictly legal and above board, naturally. 1amsf.com, 39 dollars
Lufthansa operates daily flights to San Fancisco (SFO) from Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). No other airline offers nonstop connections to San Francisco from Germany.

© Ramón Burgos y Ruiz / Artist: Os Gemeos

Street art glossary

Stencil

Images or texts for which the ­artist uses a template

Hall of Fame

Legally sprayable surfaces

Mural

A large-format, legal wall painting

Tag

An elaborate artist’s ­signature, which can also stand alone