If you are planning to visit Valencia and want something different from the traditional monument-museums-sightseeing circle, then this post is for you.
This is especially the case if you are a street-art lover; Valencia being an open-air delight for the contemplative minds. Tourists, graffiti artists and enthusiasts come from all over the world to explore what has made ‘Valencianos’ proud: the city’s ephemeral treasures.
First stop: Barrio del ‘Carmen’. This area embodies perfectly what street art’s primary function should be, in my opinion, (although, of course, some of us will argue that the beauty of art is precisely to have no function): bringing to life deserted streets and squares.
The graffiti in the Carmen neighborhood is so numerous and eclectic that finding a common thread would be a lost cause: in black and white or in colour; abstract pieces or caricatures, science-fiction or realistic walls; poetic statements or political complaints; with spray, or airbrush… The only common point of all the graffiti is its’ short life expectancy: nobody knows how long it will survive for. These are the rules and all the beauty of the game – last man standing.
Second stop: Plaça del Tossal. Here, there still stands proud an impressive graffiti, as a tribute to war victims.
Further on during your walk: Carrer de dalt y carrer sant dionis: keep your eyes wide open as a 3-metre cat is burning. Host of 60-metre long graffiti as the result of a collaboration between various artists of the city, carrer morret should definitely be part of your tour.
Obviously the list of walls to explore still is long and revealing it all would be absurd as part of the thrill is discovering your own ‘pepitas’.
Another aim of art is one of supporting, maintaining, affirming, and enhancing life. Wandering through Valencia´s streets certainly enriched me and will undoubtedly inspire you as well.
