This post is part 5 of 5 in the series Street Art in the Americas

When shop owners in the Chapinero neighborhood of Bogotá, Colombia got sick and tired of cleaning tags and graffiti off their businesses, they mobilized. Instead of trying to ban street art (street art in Bogotá is legal within reasonable bounds), the shop keepers on Carrera 13 and the local mayor decided to run a contest to find talented street artists who would agree to create work on the closed shutters of the businesses, replacing the ugly defacement with art. Nearly 200 street artists entered the contest and 55 were ultimately chosen and given the go-ahead to work on the shutters, ultimately covering many, many blocks of Carrera 13 (aka Graffitti Street). The project began in 2014 and has turned Carrera 13 into an art-filled graffiti street instead of an eyesore. Here are some of our favorite pieces of Carrera 13 street art.

Carrera 13 street art in Bogotá, Colombia

Toxicomano Gabriel Garcia Marquez Bogota Street Art

Artist: Toxicomano

Ciudad Alegre calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist unknown to us

calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist: Ledania

Crisp Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist: Crisp

Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist unknown to us

calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist: Surbeat

calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist unknown to us

Carsal Corrosivo Bogota Street Art

Artist: Carsal Corrosivo (just the bear)

Atomiko Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist (left): Atomico

ARK Animal Pura Calle Bogota Street Art

Artist: ARK

Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist unknown to us

Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artists unknown to us

Fonso/Mal Bogota Street Art

Artists: Fonso/MAL crew

Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist unknown to us

Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist unknown to us

Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist unknown to us

Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist unknown to us

calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artist unknown to us

Calle 13 Bogota Street Art

Artists unknown to us

Bogotá street art travel tip

Because this street art is only visible when the businesses are closed (the shutters are rolled up and the art is hidden once each business opens), the best time to wander down Carrera 13 is early on a Sunday morning.

Want more about these artists? Check our Bogotá street art 101 post.

Here’s more about travel in Colombia

See all of our Photo Essays

See more Street Art

 


Series Navigation:Photo Essay: 3D Street Art in Bogotá, Colombia >>

Share via