La art district graffiti: The Complete Guide to Street Art In DTLA’s Arts District — Sick Girl Travels
The Complete Guide to Street Art In DTLA’s Arts District — Sick Girl Travels
Maddie (Left) and Moose (right) enjoy some of LA’s fabulous art offerings. #FreiheitBerlinLA
With the pandemic currently forcing the world to shelter in place, I’ve had to put a pin in traveling to far-off locations like Belize, China, and South Africa. Instead, I packed up my laptop and set sail for the exotic land of my living room, where I’ve focused my energy on staying well and getting around to tasks I’ve been putting off forever. Things like writing this blog post about the Los Angeles Arts District, organizing my cabinets, and finally putting the license plates on the new car I started leasing seven months ago.
A Guide to Graffiti, Murals, Yarn Bombs and Other Street Art in LA
One of the big things I’ve been meaning to get around to is creating a mapped database of street art in Los Angeles. Having lived in The Arts District for seven years, I’ve seen a lot of street art come and go.
And having an adorable french bulldog, I’ve walked past these stunning murals, yarn bombs, stencils, graffiti art pieces, and sculptures many, many times. In April of 2018, I began taking photos of my frenchie pup, Maddie, posing in front of street art in Los Angeles. I was turning these photos into my own little bound photo book collection with there help of Chatbooks. By April of 2020 I had over 20 hardcover photo books, 610 different street art photos, and a very well-trained french bulldog who had completely mastered “sit” and “wait.”
Heart Graffiti, Los Angeles near Willow Studios
Where Can I Find Murals In Los Angeles?
If you google DTLA street art, you’ll find several “best of” la graffiti and mural sites and a few street art tour companies, but you won’t find a comprehensive database of every mural LA has to offer. Given the transient nature of street art, I was always a little bummed nobody was cataloging these amazing works of art online for the world to see.
So, with my newfound copious leisure time, I’ve taken the liberty of uploading these photos and pinning them into google maps. You can now click on each pin, see the photo, find out exactly where the best graffiti artists are putting up their work, and plan your own walking tour to check out LA’s thriving art scene.
For those with mobility issues, I highly recommend exploring the area around The Container Yard as there are always large-scale murals and wide-open sidewalks and streets that are easily navigated in a wheelchair or scooter. The perimeter of their property is filled with some of the best Arts District mural work painted by the world’s top Street Artists. You can find a ton of graffiti wall art, stencils, yarn bombs, and awesome LA murals in this few block area as well as the areas around Traction Avenue at The American Hotel extending down to Angel City Brewery (Alameda Ave & 3rd Street), and around Mateo Street just north and south of 7th.
As you will see on the map below, some of the art is located down alleys and other less accessible areas.
Please exercise caution when exploring! Since the pandemic, some of these areas have become homeless encampments and are not safe to walk through. Crime has increased in DTLA over the past few years and it is best to stick to high traffic areas and stay alert.
Keep in mind, Downtown Los Angeles street art, like street art everywhere, is only temporary, and some of the graffiti, murals, and other public works of art have since been covered up. But many of these pieces still exist. Especially the larger Los Angeles murals by some of the more famous graffiti artists like Christina Angelina, Shepard Fairey, WRDSMTH, Tristan Eaton, David Choe, and RISK. The streets of LA are like a living museum with ever-changing exhibits… If people relieved themselves in the middle of museums.
LA Iconic Street Art Kobe Bryant Mural Los Angeles – Alameda & 4th Street (NOT 4th Place)
A Brindle French Bulldog and a Camera
All of my Los Angeles mural photos feature my adorable, adult french bulldog, Maddie, who is quite cooperative and photogenic… unless she sees something delicious like a half-eaten cheeseburger in the gutter.
Then she’s done with the murals of Los Angeles and I’m desperately trying to wrangle trash out of her mouth. Ah, city living!
If you’ve been following my personal Instagram, you know Maddie is also my emotional support animal who helps me with my anxiety and charms the heck out of flight attendants. When we’re not looking for Los Angeles graffiti, we enjoy traveling around the United States. Maddie has flown to nine different states with me. She’s posed with the Naked Cowboy in Times Square, braved the Chicago winters, visited my grandmother in Wisconsin, played around at Disney resorts in Florida, run down the beaches in Oregon, celebrated Christmas in New Jersey, and lived the posh hotel life in Las Vegas. She’s one hundred percent a good girl with the classic loveable french bulldog personality.
I hope you check out our photos and enjoy playing around with the map below. Most of the LA street art I’ve included is in the Arts District, Los Angeles Flower District, Los Angeles Fashion District, and Los Angeles Jewelry District, but you’ll find a little bonus art in Santa Monica, Culver City, Venice, mid-city, and East LA areas.
Full disclosure, the map still has a few kinks I’m trying to work out, so please bear with me as I adjust some pins and try to figure out a system to add artists credit attribution.
Hopefully, you can plan your own art tours of downtown LA with the help of my handy LA Arts District map. Until then, enjoy your virtual tour of the street art of Los Angeles.
If you have any questions on where to find a specific piece, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out through the Sick Girl Travels email address.
A Mural in The Container Yard – A Popular Street Art Gallery
Cat Mural next to the Pie Hole in the Arts District
Maddie the Frenchie Pup Starting A Street Art Movement
One of Several Murals at One Santa Fe in DTLA
Angel Wings Mural near the Arts District Co-Op
Yarn Bomb Near 4th & Traction
Graffiti Art Outside a Loading Dock Near Rolling Greens in the Arts District
Another Large Mural at One Santa Fe
Flying Rhino near Willow Studios
Street Art Los Angeles at The Container Yard
Artist Muck Rock near the 10 Freeway Exit in the Arts District
Near the Container Yard in The Arts District
Simpsons Wall in Highland Park
East LA Mural Art
East LA Street Art
VIEW 600+ Works of DTLA Street art
(Map might take a few seconds to load because there are a lot of images.
Sorry!)
Great Books About Street Art
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the history of the Los Angeles street art scene I suggest the great books below.
The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti
By Schacter, Rafael
Buy on Amazon
Art in the Streets
By Deitch, Jeffrey
Buy on Amazon
Graffiti L.A.: Street Styles and Art (with cd-rom)
By Steve Grody
Buy on Amazon
California, United States, AmericasJenn Lloydstreet art, arts district murals, graffiti, stencils, yarn bombs, arts district6 Comments
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Downtown LA Arts District Must See Los Angeles Murals
Table of Contents
What used to be a vineyard and orange grove, and then an industrial fringe area of Los Angeles is now home to artist studios, lofts, galleries and some of the best street art in Los Angeles.
The Downtown LA Arts District is overflowing with street murals, some sanctioned and some not, making it one of the most interesting and colorful areas of the city to walk around.
At the intersection of Alameda St and Traction Ave sits the Angels City Brewery. The building itself is over 100 years old and is covered in colorful Los Angeles graffiti and murals. This is where we’ll begin our art walk.
Street Art In Los Angeles
The Wrinkles of the City by JR – photo Cynthia Graner
The Wrinkles of the City
In 2008, the French-born artist JR started a series called The Wrinkles of the City that shows the marks of historical, economic and cultural changes of a city by merging the wrinkles of its citizens with those of its buildings. This is a great example of Los Angeles Wall art.
Los Angeles is the third city to be part of this series with this mural completed in 2011 on the side of Angels City Brewery. There are also representations of the series in Cartagena, Shanghai, Havana, Berlin, and Istanbul.
Sitting above the entrance of the brewery, this mural examines the juxtaposition of age and manufactured youth in a city where perfect, young beauty is valued above all else and plastic surgery is considered an essential part of life.
Check Yourself
Check Yourself by Lucy McLaughlin – Photo by Cynthia Graner
On another wall of the Angels City Brewery area, is this piece by UK artist, Lucy McLaughlin, aptly named Check Yourself. Originally commissioned on Valentines Day in 2014, it stands to remind us that early detection is essential to winning the fight against breast cancer.
BLOOM
BLOOM by Hueman – Photo by Cynthia Graner
Next door, this colorful bouquet of flowers, held by the artist’s hands, is a spray-painted mural that covers a wall on the east side of the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions’ Neptune Building. Artist Hueman (Allison Tinati) created the mural in 2017 in honor of Joel Bloom, a community advocate who was a big influence in developing the DTLA Arts District into what it is today.
The Elephant Mural
Elephant Mural by Damon Martin – Photo by Cynthia Graner
Sitting almost across from BLOOM is an elephant mural by artist Damon Martin. Damon created this piece after learning about the efforts to protect elephants and to encourage people to avoid purchasing ivory. With backing from the International Fund for Animal Welfare, he painted this mural in 2012 in his signature “razzle dazzle” style inspired by the Art Deco and Jazz Era.
Street art is all over the US, Check out 10 Reasons to See Exciting Jersey City Street Art
Around the corner from the elephant mural is the iconic American Hotel. It stands at the entrance to Hewitt Street, which is lined on both sides with a multitude of street art and murals of all styles.
LA Street Art: La Abuelita
La Abuelita by El Mac – Photo by Cynthia Graner
On the back wall of the American Hotel is the large mural, La Abuelita painted by El Mac (Miles MacGregor).
The mural is based on photographs El Mac took of the artist Martha Gorman Schultz, who is a Navajo blanket weaver from northern Arizona.
El Mac, a Los Angeles native, began painting in the mid-1990s and was influenced by the Chicano/Mexican cultures of his neighborhood. He often explores the power and beauty of feminine, elderly, and indigenous people in his works.
The Yard
The Yard by Nuke One and UTI – Photo by Cynthia Graner
In the same lot of La Abuelita is The Yard, encircled by walls of graffiti art by Nuke One (Joseph Montalvo) and other members of the UTI Crew. The Yard is considered one of the last graffiti halls of fames in Los Angeles.
Two graffiti writers, SKILL and SNAP formed the UTI Crew in 1986. With over 200 members across US, Europe and Mexico, it acts as a support network for underground writers, artists and creative. UTI will often create one work by multiple artists.
Nuke One (Joseph Montalvo) grew up in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles and uses the landscape of L.
A. as his canvas. He also was one of the original artists of Undiscovered America, which we’ll see later on the walking tour.
Global Angel Wings Project
Angel Wings Mural Los Angeles by Collette Miller – Photo by Cynthia Graner
Nestled amongst a series of murals along Hewitt Street sits the very first of a series of wings that now spans around the world. You have probably seen these colorful wings (or similar ones) in many Instagram photos. Or like me, you may even a photo of yourself standing in front of the wings!
Artist Collette Miller launched the Global Angel Wings Project in Los Angeles in 2012 to “remind humanity that we are all angels of Earth.” This interactive mural was an immediate hit with the public, as people were drawn to stand in front of the wings for their own angel photo. While some murals are specifically commissioned and others are gifted to their communities, all of the murals are free to everyone to use and are not “owned” by anyone.
Art Share L.A. Building
Art Share LA Building – Photo by Cynthia Graner
Sitting at the corner of Hewitt Street and E 4th Place is the beautiful Art Share L.A. Building.
Art Share L.A. supports local artists by providing space, resources, and support. In 2017, they commissioned Mikael B to paint the dramatic exterior of their building. Inspired by the streets of L.A., Mikael B uses a rainbow of colors and shapes to represent the history and stories of the area.
Mikael B (Mikael Brandrup “KETS”) grew up in Denmark and now resides in Los Angeles. He started painting graffiti in his teens under name KETS. In 2008 he started design agency with his brother. Many of his current works combine elements and influences of both his graffiti and design background.
Undiscovered America
Undiscovered America by Earth Crew 2000 – Photo by Cynthia Graner
Across the street from Art Share L.A. stands a stunning mural, Undiscovered America by Earth Crew 2000.
Originally painted in 1992, and then restored 2017, this wall stands in honor of the Indigenous cultures and achievements of Native American nations.
Earth Crew 2000 is a collective of graffiti artists organized by Helen Samuels and representing various cultural backgrounds. They use mural painting to promote non-violence while also raising awareness of environmental issues. They have painted murals in Los Angeles, Mexico, Brazil, and Turkey.
The original Earth Crew 2000 artists who painted Undiscovered America were Erick “Duke” Montenegro, Benjamin James Frank Jr., Rogelio “Angst” Cabral, and Joseph “Nuke One” Montalvo.
4th Street Collaboration between Christina Angelina and Fanakapan
The 4th Street Collaboration btw Christina Angelina and Fanakapan – Photo by Cynthia Graner
Our walking tour ends just a few blocks away, at the intersection of 4th and Merrick Streets, where we happen upon a moment frozen in time between two people.
It is an instant of gentleness and intimacy that connects the two with such great emotion that even those of us looking at it are stopped in our tracks.
Painted on a corrugated metal surface, the mural reflects light and gives a feeling of a living, breathing piece of art that is in constant motion as we look upon it.
The mural, completed in 2015 is a collaboration piece between Christina Angelina, a Venice, Los Angeles based artist renowned for her large-scale figurative murals and Fanakapan, a London-based street artist known for creating hyper-realistic visuals of real-life objects.
Ever Changing Murals of Los Angeles
Street art is always in flux and even commissioned murals often change so what you see when you walk down the streets may be different if you take the same walk a year or two later. But if you’re visiting Los Angeles in 2019, these are some of the famous murals in Los Angeles you might see!
Cynthia Graner
Cynthia has worked as a freelancer in Los Angeles for almost her entire career and loves the flexibility and opportunities it offers.
Always looking to travel, but not always having a lot of time or money, she started exploring ways to take more trips for Two Days & (mostly) under $200 at a time. Now she can make an adventure out of any size trip! Check out her blog at Two Day Travels.
If you like Street Art, Check out Street Art in Budapest: Best of Budapest 4 day Itinerary
Have You Seen LA Street Art? What Do You Think? Leave a Comment
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Puerto Street Art Puerto de la Cruz UPDATED 239 Reviews
Excellent
Very Good
Fair
Terrible
Reviews were automatically translated from English.
Translations made using Google technologies can be displayed here. Google makes no warranties, either express or implied, with respect to translations, including warranties of accuracy and reliability, and any warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-counterfeiting.
nine0003
svetlanar311
Tel Aviv, Israel22 publications
Worth a stroll.
May 2019 • For two
An interesting street with original creativity.
This review reflects the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews. nine0003
kosarevakhv
Madrid, Spain27 publications
good place for walking
2018
is a wonderful place for evening walks. shops. embankment. we were in winter. lunoprak is located. what kids especially love
Published January 22, 2018
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
Natalya Z
129 publications
We walked along those streets dozens of times.
May 2017 • With friends
This mural gives a special charm to the old streets of the historical part! Many stop to take pictures.
Published June 9, 2017
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
Jelena K
Riga, Latvia59 publications
The pictures on the walls are very beautiful!
Apr. 2017 • Traveling alone
Very beautiful and unusual – many houses with drawings, moreover, world-famous street & wall art masters. It is a great pleasure to leisurely stroll through the streets of Puerto, looking for these beautiful paintings on the walls of houses.
Published May 3, 2017
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews. nine0003
sumus5
Moscow, Russia93 publications
Some beautiful scenic spots in the heart of Puerto!
dec.
2015 • With friends
These few beautiful picturesque objects in the heart of Puerto bring to life those walls that were left empty as a result of the restoration! The photos presented here clearly show their diversity: from classics to cubism.
Published November 30, 2016
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews. nine0003
Oksana V
Novosibirsk, Russia150 publications
extraordinary streets
Feb. 2016 • Traveling alone
I will never forget these streets… Painting on the walls of houses is the height of art, the “knitted” wall was especially impressive. For designers, a place where they will definitely find inspiration.
Published November 11, 2016
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tripadvisor checks reviews. nine0003
Aleksandra K
Novorossiysk, Russia27 publications
beautiful place
July 2016 • For two people
A wonderful place for walking, narrow streets, colorful cafes, locals watch all this beauty through the window. There are a lot of interesting graffiti on the buildings.
Published September 7, 2016
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews. nine0003
Larisa M
Saint Petersburg, Russia1,122 publications
Street Art in Puerto
Jan. 2016 • With friends
Puerto is an incredibly charming city that you fall in love with immediately and forever: it is the incredible power of the ocean, fantastic views from miradores, fantastic Jardin Beach, picturesque, friendly streets.. And also – wonderful Street Art, a tribute and love of artists to this wonderful city.
I lived in the Hardin Beach area and every day I walked along these wonderful streets, decorated with street art paintings. nine0003
Published July 18, 2016
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
Ghostpulse
Murmansk, Russia41 publication
Awesome
July 2016 • Family fun
I have never seen such wonderful street art anywhere! They are located in the center of Puerto de la Cruz (in the historic center) along streets that run parallel to the ocean. The most authentic restaurants are located near the bug graffiti. nine0003
Published July 17, 2016
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
stephmhart
Torrance, CA174 publications
Worth a visit!
Jan.
2023 • Family vacation
Worth a stroll around the area. Our teenagers really enjoyed the variety of all the frescoes. There are also many restaurants located here. Be sure to visit the area and dine among the local art! nine0003
Published January 15, 2023
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
Showing results 1–10 out of 80
Graffiti and street art in Paris – Paris10.ru
Elena asked us a very interesting question: “We are flying to Paris soon and really want to see the beautiful works of street artists with our own eyes. Not just texts and inscriptions, but high-quality works of artists. Unfortunately, we could not find addresses on the net, we only managed to look at the graffiti itself. Can you tell us where to get such information?” nine0003
Of course, we will help! Unfortunately, we are not great connoisseurs of graffiti painting, so we will give only general advice.
Graffiti in the center of Paris
You really don’t have to go far for street art in Paris. A stone’s throw from the Louvre, house 59 on Rivoli Street is all given over to artists’ studios: there are now about thirty studios on 6 floors. The building itself, from the rug at the threshold to the roof, from the walls of the entrance to the windows, in short, the whole house in itself is a work of art. It is painted and covered with funny inscriptions, concerts, exhibitions and performances are constantly held there. nine0003
You can visit the studio at any (almost) moment to watch the artists at work. The house at 59 Rivoli is open to the public 7 days a week, 24 hours a day – an extremely rare occurrence in Paris! And it’s absolutely free, and you can take a lot of unusual Parisian photos here.
Artists will be very happy if you buy something from them, a painting, sculpture, work, or leave some money in a common piggy bank.
Website of House 59, Rivoli: www.
59rivoli.org
» READ ALSO — Le Petite Ceinture: abandoned railroad in Paris
Another hotspot for contemporary art in the French capital near the Center Pompidou. And there it is, for sure, art. Sometimes there are also exhibitions of graffiti artists in private galleries. For example, in 2019-2020, a collection of Banksy reproductions is exhibited at Espace Lafayette-Drouot.
On the border of the 19th and 20th arrondissement
Walk down the Canal Saint-Martin towards La Villette Park. It’s already 19arrondissement, an unfavorable and cheap area for living in Paris. During your walk you will certainly see graffiti. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) Now this area is being rebuilt, old housing is being demolished to build new buildings. Graffiti disappears with them.
Boulevard de Ménilmontant is another peripheral area known for its concentration of street artists and their creations. Usually we do not recommend tourists to walk there. If you are too careless, you can accidentally lose your purse or a camera hanging from a long strap.
But in search of graffiti, you can take a chance. While walking from the Nation metro station to the Couronne metro station, the author of these lines photographed about twenty trucks and cars covered with graffiti in half an hour. nine0003
» READ ALSO – A little more about the dangerous areas of Paris
Where can you see the best graffiti painting in Paris?
Remember the address: rue Denoyez in the 20th arrondissement of Paris. You get to the Belleville metro station and go up Belleville street (there is a natural rise, don’t get lost). Take the first turn on the right side of this street and you will see the real treasure of Paris, Rue Denoye in all its glory!!!
As the Parisian old-timer Sedep says: “This street is covered with graffiti and very interesting street artists, there are also galleries of various underground dudes, each gallery is decorated in its own way! The street is very small, at the end of this street there is a bar very popular with Parisian bohemia, where everyone meets at happy hour to have a drink!” nine0003
The bar that Sedep is talking about is located just on the corner of Belleville and Denoye, the walls opposite and around it were chosen by graffiti artists.
If you’re lucky, you can catch them right at work. There are artists’ studios along the entire length of the street, where you can immediately buy an unusual Parisian souvenir. Finally, the Denoye Street community is very lively and often hosts street parties, processions, etc.
We recommend that you take a walk along Denoye Street as well as the surrounding area. In general, there are quite a lot of art studios in the 20th arrondissement, since the area is cheap, and a lot of young people and immigrants live here. nine0003
Old blog about graffiti in the 20th arrondissement: graffadenoyez.blogspot.fr
» READ ALSO – Red light district in Paris: does it exist?
Graffiti in District 13
District 13 is often referred to as “Chinatown”, but Chinatown only occupies a small corner of the district. Not far from it there is another interesting and very Parisian quarter.
Butte-au-Caye cannot be built up with new tall buildings, because it stands on the site of a former quarry.