5 Cutting-Edge Festivals for Graffiti Lovers
Article by: Laura Mason|@_drawylimeWed February 15, 2017 | 13:30 PM
Graffiti has a provocative history. Many communities see it as an essential conduit for political messages, spirituality and reflections on identity, while others deride it for being garish, destructive, and an illegal eyesore. If we're looking beyond simple tags, the visual and conceptual power of graffiti is undeniable. Labor-intensive pieces feel urgent and non-conformist. A few decades since its birth, we now see graffiti (or street art, the term is used interchangeably) emerging from the underground world of turf wars and quick tags on public infrastructure to a global art spotlight.
When it comes to festivals, a fest's artistic identity rarely takes one form. Therefore, it makes sense that the exchange of ideas and emotions graffiti encourages would make its way into the similarly cutting-edge festival environment. Artists don respirator masks to create curvaceous, elongated letters that pop as you scan an already riotous landscape. Paint leaps from their surfaces to take on 3D qualities, and designs pulsate as audibly as the music around you. Graffiti’s tetradic colors practically match a festival stage’s light projections, colorful vendor wares, guest attire, and fireworks.
In recent years, an explosion of art exhibits and live art demonstrations has reached more mainstream festivals, and that includes street art. The five festivals below are either entirely dedicated to graffiti and street art, or have embraced it as a core part of their artistic identity.
Art Basel Miami, Miami, Florida
It’s impossible to mention Art Basel Miami without acknowledging the omnipresence of street art. As one of the world's foremost fine art affairs, the fact that street art is included in presentations all around town elevates the medium to a whole new playing field. Art Basel takes place in the Miami Beach Convention Center , but ends up taking over the city when it rolls in. Vibrant colors leap from whitewashed buildings and steel garage doors as street artists from all over the world deliver art to the attendees of the art world’s most famous markets. Surrounding neighborhoods (specifically Wynwood ) become living art galleries as they draw thousands to check out works in progress and pieces from artists all over the world looking to gain exposure.
Most graffiti in Wynwood is not sanctioned specifically by Art Basel – store owners, restaurants, bars and owners of unique spaces will often commission street artists for designs, and the wild west of Wynwood is left for locals and non-locals to duke it out for placement. Check out this gallery for a fantastic compendium of local Wynwood artists.
Roskilde, Roskilde, Denmark
Roskilde devotees strip and run naked before the fest officially starts, but you’ll find the festival’s artists preparing for the opposite. Bare fences and myriad ground stables are overtaken by bold wildstyle, neon fills and multidimensional panels as onlookers watch the progress in awe.
The festival has an interesting history in regards to embracing graffiti. A mini-doc released by the festival recalls visitors packing cans of aerosol paint with their costumes and tents. Producers welcomed the artistic expression, and started actively recruiting skilled street artists to spice up the festival grounds in the late 90s. Fast forward to 2016, and graffiti impacts the festival’s identity as much as the music. A dedicated Graffiti Zone sits in the heart of the activities. It’s well worth your while to check out the Instagram hashtag #rfgraff for some eye candy.
UpFest, South Bristol, UK
Europe’s largest (free) street art and graffiti festival Upfest saw more than 30,000 visitors descend on South Bristol in the UK to take in the work of 300 global artists in 2015. Established and emerging artists commingle with myriad urban surfaces for a world-class event.
The timelapse of the Upfest Subway Carriage above features tilt-shift photography (a fun, unique look at the process) of a New York subway car replica painted by the Upfest crew. The steel exteriors are sprayed up in seafoam green, magenta and black. New York subway cars rank among the most famous surfaces in the medium's history, a painting practice that saw its peak in the 80s and 90s but continues today.
Pow Wow Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii
For one week in February, itinerant artists flock to Honolulu’s Kaka’ako district for the flagship POW! WOW! Festival. POW! – signifies “the impact that art has on a person,” and WOW! captures “reaction that art has on a viewer.” It's one of the most celebrated graffiti festivals in the world, and “has grown into a global network of artists and organizes gallery shows, lecture series, schools for art and music, mural projects, a large creative space named Lana Lane Studios , concerts, and live art installations across the globe.”
Hawaii has no lack of gorgeous landscapes, but POW! WOW! punctuates the islands' natural beauty with even more visual funk upon your senses to reawaken your appreciation for the bold and bright. The festival's international expansion includes Texas's SXSW in 2016, California, Taiwan, London, and Japan.
Life is Beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada. American homeland of hedonism, the blinky, the gaudy, and the excessive. Capturing that energy (but with a mindful edge), Life is Beautiful burst onto the scene in October 2013 and has been a beacon for the arts in Vegas' hot, hot heat. Lively street art dots the sprawling downtown blocks occupied by the festival, and smooth, evenly painted surfaces counter Vegas’ 3D madness. All are great additions to the festival’s buoyant, fantastical mood. One of the festival's art programs is Rise Above , which "took 15 blocks of Down Town and turned it into an art-inspired playground, showcasing works in the cityscape. Twenty artists including the biggest names in international street art were at all times actively engaged in the creation of gigantic murals, stencil, yarn installation and posters installation." The organization sees their work as "a revitalizing action that will redefine Down Town for the years to come and encourages a bond to one’s environment as an awareness of the creative potential of the community."
The video above follows Bay Area artist Zio Ziegler, who brought his trademark intricate, labyrinthine style to the city streets for the fest. Playful, spindly and explosively colorful, Ziegler’s work benefits from a close-up look.
Festival art is rich territory for exploration, and a festival’s artistic identity often evolves with feedback from the community. As graffiti and live painting at events has exploded in popularity, what may have started as an eyesore to some has become an integral and lauded part of the world’s most cutting-edge festivals.
This article was originally published in July 2016.
