A few of the best places to see Street Art

I have spent many, many hours scouring to find the best Street Art the world has to offer.

I have traveled and I have googled and I have surfed and I have shot pictures and I have explored!

And now I want to share!

So although I have not been to some of the most incredible places for street art that can be found in the world, like Berlin, Rio de Janeiro (one day, I remind myself), I have been to a few places that are famous for their graffiti/ Street Art.

So with my own knowledge and a little help from google I present the best places in the world to see street art:

1) New York, New York

Well New York, New York is known for being the city that never sleeps, it needs to be recognized for it’s street art as well.

After a visit to New York last year, I realized that it had a whole lot more street art than I even realized.

NYC- 9/11 dedications on the street

New York is such a diverse place, with different pockets in the city, going from one to another you could feel as if you are in a completely new world.

Even though New York is covered graffiti/ Street art, if you really want the best of the best there are a few specific places to find what you are looking for.

• 5 Pointz

 5 Pointz is dubbed New York’s graffiti mecca. It can be found in Long Island City, Queens at the back of a warehouse. It is directly across the street from MoMA PS1. So you can get your gallery on indoors then head over to 5 Pointz to get your gallery on outside.

This old warehouse was handed over to the artists and once that happened nothing could stop 5 Pointz. It is covered head to toe and constantly forever changing and growing.

Horribly, sadly and terribly and angrily (is that a word?) you BETTER GET YOUR ASS DOWN TO 5 POINTZ QUICK! Apparently plans to bulldoze it down and build condo’s have been made by owner Jerry Wolkoff.

• Lower East Side

 Chelsea and Brooklyn

The Lower East side is a must if you are graffiti hunting in the Big Apple.

Photo from Patrick Hedlund from DNAinfo.com

Find Sheppard Fairy in the this area.- Check out DNAinfo for more pics and the article about it written by news editor Patrick Hedlund

There is a huge mural wall that Sheppard Fairy had done at East Houston and Bowery. Which has had new additions from other graffiti artists- some tags, some vandalism. Usually it’s proper etiquitte that artists wouldn’t cover other’s work- but sometimes it can make it better or more interesting. Let’s hope this Sheppard Fairy art is not ruined by mindless graffiti.

• Chelsea

Chelsea is one of the pockets in New York that has some of the best areas  street art. The art found in New York is often extremely colourful and has intricate patterns.

A trend that has really caught on in New York, espeically in Chelsea , is Wheatpastes. Wheatpastes are not created directly on the wall, but made elsewhere. Street artists  can create cut outs and designs and then take it and paste to the wall.

Swoon Wheatpaste Street Art 

Chelsea Graffiti

2) London, England

London, well what to say about London. London is a give in. Period. No need to expand upon this…. but I  will anyways.

London is famous for not only its street art, but to being the proud owner of the most famous graffiti artist probably ever: Banksy.

Although Banksy is pseudonym, and the real identity is unknown, Banksy has been able to capture the attention of the entire world with his street art, and the messages they contain.

Bansky gained international recognition after the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop debuted at Sundance in 2010.

The film also won “Best Documentary” for the 2011 Academy Awards. There was some speculation surrounding the film and the plot line that it was a hoax. But the filmmakers and others involved feircly deny these accuations, and I for one believe them!

I personally am totally obsessed with anything Banksy and I am begging for him to come back to Toronto! Give us a second chance!

After walking around London during a recent trip in August, what I already knew was confirmed.

London’s display of street art is incredible. And it really suits the city with all of their strange and very cool statues.

Although Graffiti laws are stirctly enforced in London, the city has still managed to become one of the most renouned and well-known cities for its graffiti. London indeed has one of the largest followings for graffiti.
Graffiti can be seen all over London, but if you want the best  of the best you need to know where to go!

• Shoreditch

 Shoreditch, an area in London, has some of the best street art to view in London. There is a large cluster of high profile Street Artists work in this area, so pretty much anywhere you walk around here, you are bound to find something.

Photo credit to UK Street ARt:

This photo was on the UK Street Art blog- make sure you check it out to see more from London and Shoreditch.

I have heard of a particular wall, where the gallery is always changing. The wall can be found at the side of a pizza take-out joint at 75 Kingsland Road. Who knows what you might see when you go.

Take the tube to Shoreditch High Street or Hoxton.

• Upper Holloway

 Get off at Archway station to see some incredible Banksy vs Team Robbo Street Art.

I am fascinated by the amount of attention and the war between these two highly acclaimed artists. Seeing a work that has been modified by either, to me is even more special than seeing one of either of the artists on their own.

Whether intentional, or really at war, the two of them are creating even greater, intricate art.

Banksy vs Robbo: Charles Manson

• Camden

 Regents Canal, London is home to some more Banksy vs Robbo.

I really wish these pictures below were my own. There are not, so the credit does not belong to me. Click photo’s for direct links.

I unfortunately did not get to spend enough time in London on a graffiti crawl. But if I get the chance to go back, believe me I will be crawling under this scary looking bridge and coming out with my own shots, of whatever will be there. I just hope not to meet any rats.

Banksy covers Robbo…

and Robbo covers Banksy

3) Toronto, Canada

(ummm….this might be slightly biased)….But seriously, Toronto may not be as well known and as large as some of these staple graffiti cities, but anyone who has taken a walk down Queen Street, Dundas Street, rode the subway or spent the day in Kensington can vouch for the beauty and colour that are on display in Toronto Street Art.

And seriously. Someone needs to get Toronto’s Street Art cred out there to be known and seen!

Toronto is the best. Save the best for last, thats what everyone always says!

• Kensington Market

Kensington is by far one of the best places in Toronto to view Street art- with a plethra of local artists work (Deadboy, UB5000, Gregory Alan Elliott, Poser, etc.) you can really capture the vibe of Toronto’s street art in this one area.

It is ever changing and I have spent hours upon hours taking photo’s in Kensington.

Kensington Car

This car is a staple of Kensington. Come ever summer and this car will still be here! Donned with intricate art and a garden in it’s hood- it’s worth the trip out here!

• Graffiti Alley

Kensington Fish Market, UB5000

Home of the world famous Graffiti Alley, (see the pics for yourself!)  Graffiti Alley is a complete dedication to the art of graffiti.  This alleyway is a gallery for street art in Toronto, and should definitely be checked out! For more information on graffiti Alley, check out my post COMPLETELY dedicated to Graffiti Alley.

Toronto has got some seriously amazing areas of street art, and we even had our own moment in the Banksy spotlight. (Doesn’t this prove something?)

Banksy hits all the biggest cities in the world and for him to grace Toronto just proves that we deserve to be on the list of the best places to find street art. Most of the Bansky artwork in Toronto “disappeared” but with the cities help there is at least one that remains….

And by remains, I mean it is the only pillar of the entire building that wasn’t ripped down to build more condos. The piece is actually wrapped up and apparently in storage. I will investigate!! Someone should get to the bottom of this.

Banksy, Toronto

This guard is was painted on the side of a building that was 90 Harbour Street.

• Queen Street

Anywhere along Queen Street, and especially in the alley ways you can find some amazing stuff!! This is a favourite spot of graffiti artists and graffiti lovers!

And, in the near future, this area will only get more vibrant!

Toronto is stepping up in the Graffiti world, so beware people! This Christmas time, because of Queen West’s graffiti initatives we can look forward to billboards going up.

I have been warned they will be slightly controversial, done by our own up-and-coming famous graffiti artist, Deadboy.

Deadboy, Toronto

I found this lovely signature Deadboy piece in a back alleyway off Queen St.

I love his work, and really look forward to seeing it up this Christmas- in all it’s Rob Ford approved glory. Check out Queen West for Deadboy’s and more Christmas graffiti and billboard locations, such as Yonge and Bloor, and Yonge and St. Clair.

Queen Street is possibly the most colour area of the city for street art- walk up and down the street and in all the back alley’s to see some stunning work.

King, Queen, Joker

Check out more places to see great street art on Good: Global Street Art

Part 2 and more places coming soon….

Where do you think the best places are for street art?