Seize the Towers
Discover MADRID's street art scene with me!
Ciao,
How have you been? Did you manage to book your flight to Madrid yet? I truly hope you did because I've meticulously prepared a five-day itinerary that's all set to go! I've dedicated this past month to crafting it, and I'm confident it will be just as enchanting and engaging as our exploration of Paris, but with way better weather!
Reflecting on Paris, I've been busy sharing some of our most memorable finds on both my blog and social media (and I'm not done yet; we discovered so many cool spots!). Additionally, this month marked the beginning of a new project for me: a physical book on Parisian street art, blending elements of a guidebook with those of an art book. Stay tuned!
A February highlight was meeting one of my all-time favorite street artists, the Roman Hitnes. I had the incredible opportunity to observe him at work on his latest diptych at a school in Ostia, the neighbourhood of Rome that stretches along the beach.
Ostia offered the perfect backdrop for sunset beers on the sand, breakfasts on lounge chairs under the sun, and strolls beyond the city limits to the unique area of the Ostia’s Idroscalo (hydroplane). Here, the Tiber River meets the sea, and urban development merges with informal settlements, creating a landscape dotted with metal shacks at the edge of society.
February also included a birthday-gift street art tour, which I personalized with a custom cake from one of my favorite bakeries and a toast with prosecco at a food market. I had a lengthy discussion with French street art legend C215 about the current state of urban art in Paris (for the upcoming book I mentioned), met with the New York scene veteran street artist Chris RWK at his Rome show opening, crafted two customized travel itineraries (one in Paris, one in Amsterdam), and began planning the next edition of the CVTà Street Fest. It's been a truly packed month!
Until next month,
Giulia
P.S. Remember my New Year's resolution to return to the original spirit of BLocal by living in different cities for extended periods? Well, I'd love to spend the summer in London and am currently looking for a sublet apartment. If you know of any available places, please let me know!
Downtown LA's Graffiti Towers: from Abandonment to Awareness
Earlier in February, a remarkable event unfolded in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. A group of graffiti writers leaped over the fences surrounding an abandoned complex to write their names on the facades of its three unfinished skyscrapers. This marks the second instance in a series of deserted development projects across the US that have been covered in graffiti pieces. Unlike the orchestrated takeover of skyscrapers in Miami last December, the Los Angeles event unfolded spontaneously over a few days, capturing the city's attention.
Both instances pointed their spray cans at luxury development projects left in limbo. In the case of Los Angeles, the skyscrapers are part of the Oceanwide Plaza, a $1 billion endeavor that promised to deliver shopping outlets, 500 luxury condos, and a five-star hotel. This project was halted in 2019 when the developing Chinese company declared bankruptcy.
Since then, the $1 billion complex has sat abandoned, a silent witness to the city's escalating wealth inequality and mismanagement, while hundreds of Los Angeles' residents live on the streets around it.
The recent viral videos of writers taking over the LA towers reminded me of two important reflections. First, a phrase from a mural in Rome's Garbatella neighborhood, which you would recall if you had joined me on a street art tour there, resonates powerfully here: "Too many people without houses, too many houses without people."
The second reflection brings to mind the photography project "Private Views: A High-Rise Panorama of Manhattan" by Hungarian visual artist and architect Andi Schmied. In 2016, Schmied pretended to be a billionaire to gain access to New York City's most exclusive and costly residences, aiming to explore and document how the ultra-wealthy live. Touring penthouses priced up to $85 million, she uncovered a world of luxury apartments, most sitting empty while the city grapples with a housing crisis.
"The buildings that you can see from every single corner of the city are these ultra-luxury real estates, which are not accessible to anyone, really. Apartments and buildings are standing 60 to 70 percent empty. These buildings are kind of really soulless, in a sense; they are super-standardized. But it’s not really surprising when you realize that it’s solely a form of investment, in most cases. Another problem of these buildings is that they sometimes cast hundreds and hundreds of meters of shadows, for example over Central Park, or just over the streets. And so somehow these buildings that are not even lived in are taking away such natural things from the rest of the city as sunlight."
Andi Schmied
Schmied's artistic endeavor sheds light on how societal disparities manifest in the physical landscape of the city, influencing everything around them. Similarly, the LA towers, abandoned and untouched since 2019, have faded into the backdrop of urban life, unnoticed until the vibrant graffiti tags forced us to look up. The graffiti on Los Angeles' towers symbolizes a reclamation of a billion-dollar complex left unfinished, sparking conversation about the issue.
For me, the true paradox lies in the response of Los Angeles' residents, who were quick to decry the graffiti, rather than addressing the underlying issues of the unfinished monoliths and the homeless population that could have been housed had these projects been aimed at providing affordable housing instead of luxury developments.
In conclusion, this bold act serves as a powerful commentary on who has the right to utilize spaces in the city, leading us back to our discussion from the October 1st newsletter, linked below for those who missed it.
Will I see you in Madrid?
Following the results from the January 1st newsletter poll, your voices were loud and clear – Madrid is our chosen thrilling destination!
Are you ready to join me in this exhilarating exploration of street art, culture, and so much more?
Join me from May 1st to 5th, for an exclusive exploration that goes far beyond the usual tourist paths. Delve into the heart of Madrid’s dynamic street art, discovering the soul of the city through its vibrant urban art scene. This is your chance to connect with fellow street art enthusiasts and experience Madrid’s offbeat charm in a way that most visitors never will.
Early bird offer ends on March 20th!
UP Magazine | Issue #6 - Graffiti
I’m proud to share that my interview with Dutch graffiti queen Mick La Rock has been published on UP Magazine. This NYC-based magazine, celebrated for its focus on street art, graffiti, and the vibrant urban creative scene, has dedicated its 6th printed issue entirely to graffiti. Spanning 200 pages, this edition offers a comprehensive collection of artist profiles, in-depth interviews, and engaging discussions that delve into the worldwide graffiti movement.
Grab your copy by clicking on the button below!
New on the blog!
“What if art wasn’t for sale?” Exploring the roots of street art with pioneer Dan Witz.
Finally, I'm thrilled to share the interview I conducted last summer with Dan Witz, a pioneering street artist whose work appeared in the streets of New York before contemporaries like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat made their marks.
“I’d have my work in galleries from time to time, and when it came to my street art, the reactions were pretty funny. They’d be so dismissive, and I’m there thinking, ‘Seriously? You don’t see the value in this?’ It’s because they’re all about that high art, traditional aesthetics. They’d look at me and be like ‘It’s really sad you’re doing that.’ Just couldn’t believe their reactions.”
Vitry-sur-Seine: Exploring (with you) the Hub of Street Art in Paris
Yet another street art spot we visited on our very first street art trip together ;-) Embracing both murals and spontaneous artworks, the hometown of French artist C215 has become a cornerstone of Europe’s street art scene, inviting people from around the globe to witness its rich urban art collection first hand.
Street Art in Breda: A City Mural Museum
When I was invited to Breda for the Blind Walls Film Fest, I also had the opportunity to embark on a captivating journey through the vibrant street art of Breda, a gem of medieval architecture nestled in the heart of the Netherlands.
Collettivo FX: Redefining Public Art and Community Engagement
The appearance of their art addressing work-related deaths and job safety on the stage of the renowned Italian song contest Sanremo inspired me to pen a brief piece on Collettivo FX. Their street art is a fusion of social critique and striking, monochromatic imagery.
UVNT 2024 Art Fair
Now in its 8th iteration, the UVNT Art Fair is set to unfold within the iconic Matadero in Madrid from March 7th to 10th, featuring a diverse array of art galleries from across the globe.
This article offers a sneak peek into some of the incredible murals in Madrid that have been produced by the UVNT Art Fair in recent years. Excitingly, we'll have the opportunity to experience some of these masterpieces firsthand together in May!
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Stuff I write when I’m not here
UP Magazine - “Loading: Street Art in the Digital Age”
Urbaneez - “The 10 Most Renowned Street Art Festivals Around the World”
5 Urban Art Events in March 2024
On May 2nd, at Los Angeles’s Nevehouse Shepard Fairey is moderating a talk with graffiti godfathers CHAZ and TAKI183.
The Miaz Brothers have recently unveiled an exhibition at Rome's Modern Art Museum, where their misty artworks engage in a visual dialogue with the museum's own collection. The exhibition will be on display until May 26th.
Aryz is working on a big project with Lisbon’s Underdogs Gallery, launching on March 14th.
Trashplant street art festival is happening in La Palma, Islas Canarias, from March 18th to 24th.
The street art festival HK Walls is happening in Hong Kong from 23rd to 31st of March.
Hey, Giulia,
You may be interested in my post on street art in Tartu, Estonia:
https://ben157.substack.com/p/street-art-in-tartu-estonia
Pleasure!