Barcelona has a reputation as one of the top cities in the world for street art and graffiti. Buenos Aires Street Art’s Matt Fox-Tucker went to in search of the city’s best murals.
Poblenou neighbourhood
At Parc del Centre de Poblenou there are many walls that have made the area one of the most popular spots in Barcelona for street art and graffiti in recent years.
Mural by Wakime dating from 2016 (photo © BA Street Art)
New apartments & offices in Poblenou (photo © BA Street Art)
This old industrial neighbourhood has been transformed into one of the trendiest districts in Barcelona with new startups, loft apartments and new offices setting up here.
Portrait by Penao on a semi-demolished building (photo © BA Street Art)
There are still a number of abandoned areas with ruined buildings that make good canvases for different street artists and graffiti artist to paint on.
Rubik cube mural by Pad (photo © BA Street Art)
Many of these stunning murals can be found along Carrer de la Selva del Mar and the walls surrounding an entire block along the three streets Carrer de L’Agricultura, Carrer de Veneçuela and Calle de Pallars. Check out the location on Google Maps here.
Artwork by JXC (photo © BA Street Art)
Mural by Ives One photo © BA Street Art)
Artwork with spray by Eslicer & zk73 on Carrer de Veneçuela (photo © BA Street Art)
Graffiti by Ivan de Castres (photo © BA Street Art)
There’s a great mix between quality pieces by some of the best writers in Europe and some stunning 3-D portraits and murals. Such is the popularity of this spot, that there’s a good chance you might see artists at work and fresh artworks.
Mural by Joel Arroyo entitled ‘Hope’ (photo © BA Street Art)
Gorilla Social Club (photo © BA Street Art) on corner of Carrer de L’Agricultura and Calle de Pallars
Aerosol art by Trazur (photo © BA Street Art)
Artwork by JCP Bardo (photo © BA Street Art)
Chipmunk artwork by Mr M (photo © BA Street Art)
La Escocesa
Facade of La Escocesa now an artists’ residence has been decorated with murals (photo © BA Street Art)
La Escocesa is an old textile factory (Calle de Pere IV 345) in Poblenou that since the 1990s has been transformed into an artists’ residence with workshops and studios.
Mural by Argentine street artist Mariela Ajras in front of La Escocesa (photo © BA Street Art)
Argentine street artist Mariela Ajras is among a number of foreign artists to have stayed at the venue and been invited to paint murals in the district.
Gothic Quarter
Photo mosaic mural ‘The Kiss’ created by Joan Fontcuberta (photo © BA Street Art)
Two blocks from Barcelona Cathedral on Plaça d’Isidre Nonell is an iconic photomosaic mural by Joan Fontcuberta painted in July 2014. It’s made up of 4,000 images sent in by local Barcelona residents. The artwork entitled ‘El mundo nace en cada beso’ (‘The World is born with each Kiss’) has been plotted on top of the ceramic tiles.
Raval neighbourhood
Paste up in Raval saying speculation is threatening the neighbourhood (photo © BA Street Art)
Raval is a vibrant district with its famous food market La Boquería on Avenida La Rambla. It’s a must do sitting on a stool and eating at one of the market restaurants. And numerous paste-ups and graffiti pieces can be found in the streets close to La Boqueria.
Market stall at La Boqueria (photo © BA Street Art)
HDA Crew in a building entrance in El Raval (photo © BA Street Art)
MACBA
Details of Keith Haring mural at MACBA (photo © BA Street Art)
Panoramic view of whole mural by Keith Haring at MACBA (photo © BA Street Art)
Keith Haring visited Barcelona in 1989 and painted an iconic mural on the wall of an abandoned building by the now Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Barcelona. It relates to AIDS that was a huge global problem in the late 1980s with the message: “Todos juntos podemos parar el SIDA” (‘All together we can stop AIDS’).
El Born
Mural by Peruvian artist Bronik in El Born (photo © BA Street Art)
The neighbourhood of El Born has turned into a chic district with boutique hotels, wine bars and restaurants. Along the narrow streets around Montana Gallery Barcelona (Carrer del Comerç 6, open from 10am to 9pm Tuesday to Saturday) a number of visiting street artists have painted murals on the shutters of local stores and in the alleyways.
Paste ups & another mural by Bronik Carrer San Pere Més Baix (photo © BA Street Art)
Mural just around the corner from Montana Gallery on Carrer de los Petons (photo © BA Street Art)
Montana Gallery is definitely worth checking out. As well as hosting exhibitions and selling cool artworks by street artists and graffiti artists, they also stock art supplies and the classic Montana 94 spray cans.
Mural of Afghan girl at Carrer San Pere Més Baix 67 (photo © BA Street Art)
There are plenty of murals along Carrer San Pere Més Baix including one depicting an Afghan girl photographed by Steve McCurry on the front cover of National Geographic magazine.
Eixample
La Carboneria – mural featuring a giant balloon (photo © BA Street Art)
On the main facade of the building named ‘La Carboneria’ in the neighbourhood of Sant Antoni on junction of Urgell and Floridablanca is one of the most emblematic and photographed murals in Barcelona. The building dates from 1864 and was once used for storing and selling coal.
Giant balloon on former factory building (photo © BA Street Art)
It features a huge mural of a giant balloon and was painted by CSO La Carboneria, a collective of squatters and artists, who occupied the site between 2008 up to February 2014. The ballon painted with balconies and windows is thought to represent the squatters; fight to stay in the building. In 2016, the city government listed the building as of architectural importance and it’s been reported that there are plans to convert it into apartments.
If you have any recommendations about great spots to see street art in Barcelona please let us know.
All photos © Buenos Aires Street Art
