One of the best things about traveling is discovery. No matter what reason you may have for visiting a foreign country, often times a fascinating theme emerges that you hadn’t expected before the trip.
While traveling through Colombia, it was the prolific and vibrant street art that quickly got my attention. And kept it.
Street art is everywhere in Colombia. And it’s awesome.
The cultural importance is well reflected during a visit to Medellin’s La Comuña 13. Formerly a dangerous slum controlled by Colombia’s notorious narcos, the neighborhood has become one of Colombia’s best turn-around stories.
After decades of struggle and neglect, the community is now thriving. Street art is at the heart of the renaissance.
LA COMUNA 13 TOURS
To learn more about this fascinating story, there are a handful of tour companies that offer La Comuña 13 experiences.
I booked mine through Viator. It was listed on the app as “Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour and Street Food.” It costs $20 plus tip (as of 2023) and I highly recommend it. It’s a three-hour walking tour and be aware that much of it includes steep stairs and/or walkways both up and down.
Our group’s guide, Kevin, was outstanding. Kevin grew up in La Comuña 13 and was able to share the community’s story from first-hand experience. His uncle was killed during conflict between government forces and guerrillas, and he’s been there to see the neighborhood shed its violent past and emerge as a symbol of better times for Colombia and Medellin in general.
Back to the art. One of the main attractions in La Comuña 13 is the extravagant designs created by local artists. But even though I’m focusing on the street art, there’s plenty of other things to see and do. Restaurants with spectacular views of the city, food stalls, hip hop dancers, and handicrafts unique to La Comuña 13 are also worth paying attention to.
To complete a day well spent, those looking to ride Medellin’s famous cable cars can do so from the closest Metro station, named San Javier.
When visiting La Comuña 13 expect there to be crowds on the weekends as it has become one of Medellin’s most popular tourist attractions.
BOGOTA STREET ART
Street art in Colombia is a country-wide passion, and Bogota brings it just like Medellin.
Murals are abundant in most neighborhoods throughout the capital. But one area, the graffiti district, is like one huge open-air art gallery. There are city blocks full of massive murals of the highest quality.
After I returned home I was surprised to discover I had by chance come across a painting by one of Colombia’s most famous street artists. Even better I took a picture of it. Only when I was writing this post did I learn that the photo below is a work by Stinkfish. It caught my attention while I was exploring Bogota’s downtown on a random walk near my hotel.
Other big cities, like Cali and Barranquilla, contain their own outstanding murals.
Many of the artists add their Instagram and social media profiles to their works. Here’s a list of artists whose work I that I came across.
Several of these home-grown artists have received International fame for their work.
Follow them on Instagram and you’ll see why.
Or take a look at other Outdeezy photo galleries from other recent trips.
