Stunning Street Art from Medellin to Cartagena

Through all of South America you will find truly stunning street art. This gallery covers a small selection of murals in Colombia: from the cities of Medellin and Cartagena.

The entire continent has developed its own unique style. Restrictions, if they exist, are not as tightly enforced as in other places – so this type of public art flourishes. We were fortunate in documenting so much of this movement that here you see the final of six galleries from Colombia alone [links to the others are at the bottom].

Our ultimate street art gallery from Colombia with photos taken in Medellin and Cartagena. 30 stunning murals, from nearly monochrome to really colourful. [Photo shows a long wall of street art in Medellin.]

Our ultimate street art gallery from Colombia with photos taken in Medellin and Cartagena. 30 stunning murals, from nearly monochrome to really colourful.

Colombia is internationally recognised for its diverse street art. In places like Bogota and the Comuna 13 of Medellin, street art has become a tourist attraction in its own right. Nowadays, businesses are also using murals to attract the attention of prospective customers.

During our first Pan American Highway trip, Colombia was our first country to see in South America; this trip it was our last as we shipped our vehicle from Cartagena back to Europe. Ever since we left, we haven’t encountered the same prominence of street art anywhere else; the few outstanding examples we have found are posted on our Instagram account .

Street Art in Medellin

Whereas Bogota has several dedicated street art tours for visitors, Medellin has only one place where tourists go for murals: Comuna 13 (a very worthwhile tour! ). If you want to discover street art elsewhere in this large city, you’re on your own – there are no tours available, which is a shame.

Below are examples of stunning street art we found in other parts of Medellin.

Please click thumbnails below for a larger photo with description.

This large street art mural, depicting a native woman with a colourful hat, covers a wall near Comuna 13 in Medellin
A street art style Jägermeister advertisement at a pub in Poblado, Medellin
Street art wall opposite the Museum of Modern Art in Medellin: a woman holding up her boy, the style looks rasterised in black on a colourful background.
A cheerful street art wall opposite the Museum of Modern Art in Medellin: 2 cool guys carrying an oversized boombox
Often commercial properties pay street artists to brighten up an otherwise dull exterior, like here in Medellin, Colombia
In Calle 43C in Poblado, Medellin is this beautiful portrait of a woman surrounded by yellow butterflies. It’s certainly a commissioned work, decorating the sidewall of a restaurant.
Street art on a garage door in Poblado, Medellin, depicting a monkey head and a parrot head
Around a park in this quieter suburb of Pobado, Medellin we found several interesting street art pieces, like this couple with a bird cage. [picture #1]
Further along the same wall in Medellin you can find this street art wall, mostly painted in black on a colourful background
To the left of the portrait of a woman surrounded by yellow butterflies is this mural of a large squid, part of a commissioned work, decorating the sidewall of a restaurant.
Street art portrait of a young man holding up the print on his black T-shirt: Calles de Medellin (Streets of Medellin). This is the end section of a long street art wall in Calle 43C, a photo of which I used for the featured image introducing this post.
On a street overpass near the commercial centre of Medellin is this expressive street art portrait of a native woman – probably one of the most photographed motifs in the city
On the crossroad of the overpass, where you will find the street art portrait of a native woman, is this motif that reminds us of illustrations in Jules Verne’s books.

Please click thumbnails below for a larger photo with description. All photos from Plaza San Antonio.

Medellin: Plaza San Antonio #1. All columns around this central plaza are decorated with street art from various artists.
Medellin: Plaza San Antonio #2. All columns around this central plaza are decorated with street art from various artists.
Medellin: Plaza San Antonio #3. All columns around this central plaza are decorated with street art from various artists.
Medellin: Plaza San Antonio #4. All columns around this central plaza are decorated with street art from various artists.
Medellin: Plaza San Antonio #5. There are several permanent market stalls on this plaza, decorated by various street artists.
Medellin: Plaza San Antonio #6. There are several permanent market stalls on this plaza, decorated by various street artists.

Street Art in Cartagena

Whilst in Cartagena, we were mostly busy with things like preparing our truck for shipping, organising the bureaucratic side of the shipping, and meeting up with fellow PanAm travellers for a final time.

Hence, our examples of street art were photographed in only two parts of Cartagena. We found most of it by wandering the streets of Getsemani. This quaint suburb is somewhat quieter than the old city, even though it is the place where most backpackers find accommodation. The rest we found on our way from there into the old city before reaching the real tourist centre. The area inside the historic city walls is kept free of murals.

Please click thumbnails below for a larger photo with description.

Street art in Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia, at the Plaza de la Santisima Trinidad. This colourful bird adorns a house next to the church.
Street art in Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia #1: walk a little outside the main tourist area and you find weathered murals like this.
Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia: I like this black-and-white street art image of a group of young boys. The portable toilet, which is half obscured, gives the picture a sense of dimension.
Street art in Cartagena, Colombia: this decaying piece is hidden in one of the small lanes of Getsemani.
Street art in Cartagena, Colombia: nearly opposite the picture of the sea turtle in Getsemani is this tiny picture of a kid diving with dolphins. It’s probably not more than 40 centimetres tall.
Street art in Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia: it’s a shame that this beautiful laughing face of a native Colombian woman was tagged over – but this happens quite frequently.
Street art in Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia #2: walk a little outside the main tourist area and you find weathered murals like this.
Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia: a semi-nude Manga-comic-style girl on a large yellow boombox – created by LikMi, a female Colombian street artist.
Street art in Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia: “Me Gusta Colombia” = “I like Colombia”
Street art in Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia: a weathered mural. I don’t know if the people holding candles indicate a religious motif.
Street art in Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia, near the Plaza de la Santisima Trinidad. I love the simplicity and expression of this ‘cat lady’.
Getsemani, Cartagena, Colombia: look at the size of the large entrance gates and you get a feel for the size of this street art picture of 3 women.

 

Sorry to say, but that’s it! This is our “Ultimate Street Art Post” from South America. Ultimate, as in there really won’t be any more. But for those of you who haven’t seen our previous street art galleries, here is a list of links:
Our Street Art Category (in case you missed the link in the menu)

Individual galleries from Colombia:
Interesting Street Art in Small Towns of Colombia
Wonderful Street Art Photos from Bogota’s Candelaria
Explore Bogotá for Outstanding Street Art
Storytellers of Comuna 13: More Than a Street Art Tour (as mentioned above)
32 More Street Art Photos to Admire from Comuna 13

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Juergen

webmaster, main photographer & driver, second cook and only husband at dare2go.com. Freelance web designer with 20+ years of experience at webbeetle.com.au

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2 Responses

  1. Chris says:
    13/07/2020 at 15:35

    As usual these are amazing photographs Jeurgen. This time of incredible street art. All very colourful and so well executed by the street artists. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

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Meet Yasha and Juergen. Our travel blog is atypical because we travel differently, not flying from one dream destination to the next. Our choice instead: to take it slowly, take side roads, discover places aside from the typical "bucket list" and guidebook highlights. We drive and live in our self-built overland camper, called ["Berta"] "Bertita" (little Berta since 2018 in Europe). You can read more on our "About Us" page.

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