Graffiti Equals Art in Rio

In a place where beach sidewalks are visual feasts, it’s no wonder that art abounds on every blank spot in Rio.

John :: March 23, 2012 at 2:02 pm :: Reply

Looks beautiful. Sometimes well done grafitti works well within the urban landscape of a city. John recently posted..Stressful Airport Sprints: Thoughts And Tips On Making Tight Flight Connections

Leah Travels :: March 23, 2012 at 4:49 pm :: Reply

There was some really wonderful stuff that I didn't get photos of. There is some great talent in Rio. I agree that it works in an urban landscape. I don't see that flying in Anytown, USA.

Emily in Chile :: March 25, 2012 at 9:24 pm :: Reply

Great pictures! Some graffiti is definitely art more than it is vandalism. Emily in Chile recently posted..The perfect Chilean beach
Charu :: March 26, 2012 at 10:26 am :: Reply

These are excellent shots! And genuine and with meaning. A lot of street art can be powerful grassroots movement with message. Charu recently posted..From Queen Anne to Gothic Revival: A Guide to the Victorian Style Homes in Cape May, NJ

Leah Travels :: March 26, 2012 at 12:09 pm :: Reply

Thank you. I could have taken hundreds, but didn't think about it until the thrid or fourth day. There really is some beautiful stuff made by talented artists. There seems to be a lot of emotion behind many of them.

Sophie HeadingThere :: March 31, 2012 at 4:59 am :: Reply

Hi Leah. There is a really interesting documentary, 'Bomb It', that features graffiti artists from around the world. I'd recommend it for insight into the art form and the artists themselves. There is a really fun section filmed in Rio following graffiti artist twins named Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo. I wonder if any of your pictures show their work? Great images, thanks for sharing.

Leah Travels :: March 31, 2012 at 5:10 am :: Reply

I'd be interested in seeing that documentary. I've heard of the Brazilian twins, but didn't know about the film. I know those twins went to NYC and did a project there. I'd be interested to know if I captured any of their work too. There was so much to see, and I wish I'd gotten more. Thanks for stopping by.

Arianwen :: April 11, 2012 at 4:36 pm :: Reply

Really nice photos. I especially like the elephant! I'm heading to Rio in February next year and it's inspired me to go and hunt down some impressive graffiti myself! I love it when people look beyond the obvious tourist shots. Arianwen recently posted..Sirena Ranger Station

Leah Travels :: April 11, 2012 at 4:55 pm :: Reply

Thank you! There is some beautiful stuff, but I didn't get nearly all of it. There are some famous twins that paint, but I'm not sure if I caught any of their paintings or not. You're not going to have to look very hard for pretty stuff. Are you going for Carnival? I'm not even sure when it is in 2013.

Brimshack :: April 22, 2012 at 4:29 am :: Reply

Some of those are fantastic pieces. I particularly like the portrait of Jesus. Brimshack recently posted..Ten Little White Indians, Volume II (Spoilers Abound!)

Leah Travels :: April 22, 2012 at 6:29 pm :: Reply

Thanks so much. The portrait of Jesus was my favorite. It seems to leap off the wall with it's colors. There's definitely some talent walking the streets of Rio.

Fidel :: June 9, 2012 at 6:47 am :: Reply

I love street art. Emily in Chile has some beautiful pics of the street art in Santiago, Chile. I've also seen images of the street art in Buenos Aires. Seems like S. America is home to a lot of gifted muralists and street artists. One of the best walls I've seen was in Paris in the Republique district. Thank you for linking me to your post. Fidel recently posted..I’m Black, I Travel, I’m Not Special

Leah Travels :: June 9, 2012 at 7:48 am :: Reply

Yes, I love Emily's site. She does such a great job; I'm a big fan. I think in general the countries in Latin America do a great job with street art. I've recently seen some great shots of art in San Francisco. Funny I didn't notice it when I was there last, but I'll make sure to keep my eyes open for that next time. Thanks for the tip on Paris. I'll be there in November/December.