Joburg is a feast for the street art lover. Walk the inner city neighbourhoods of Newtown Maboneng and Braamfontein and discover colourful murals by local and international artists alike.
“The beauty of street art is that it’s accessible to everybody. There’s a lack of pretentiousness in street art, normally associated with mainstream art forms. Joburg’s streets offer art lovers and street culture fans an increasing abundance of urban art to explore, photograph and contemplate.” – Meruschka Govender @Mzansigirl
One artist whose work can be seen all over Joburg, is Tapz. Was you walk around the city you will see his tags in the most random of places from train cars to street poles. Other local artists include Faith 47, Falko1 (look out for his elephants), Rasty, Mars, Mr Ekse and Bias.
Explore Joburg’s Street art
Newtown
Perhaps Joburg’s most famous street art space is the Newtown flyover, a sort of ‘free zone’ for graffiti artists. Thus informal street gallery features some of Joburg’s best graffiti talent and is constantly changing. On any given weekend, you will find young skaters practicing amidst a backdrop of bold graffiti murals, many of which provide social commentary to Joburg’s dynamic city landscape.
Braamfontein
All the way from the Wits Art Museum to de Korte Street, some of the best graffiti can be found flanking the busy streets of the student hub of Braamies. Visit the Greyscale gallery and meet Rasty, one of Joburg’s legendary graffiti artists and now tattoo master.
Maboneng
Maboneng hosts some epic large scale murals by local and internatioanl artists. Check out artworks by Remed, ROA, Faith 47, Hannelie Coetzee. Take a walking tour with Main Street Walks to discover the street art stories of the precinct.
Other neighbourhoods to check out street art are Westdene and Soweto, though these are best explored with a guide.
Street art stories: Jo’burg
Street Art Stories documents the rise of Joburg’s street art scene through the eyes of sub-culture filmmaker King ADZ in collaboration with local Joburg street artist and illustrator Karabo Poppy Moletsane. Nando’s invited King ADZ to experience the city’s vibrant street art scene, to discover more about the city’s street art: its origins, its influences and its future
“Street art through its very actuality breaks down ideas of what art should look like, who can view it and how it should be exhibited. Making the streets the gallery and those roaming it its viewers, followers, and detractors. Through this discussions paint a picture of how street art mergers with protest, art, celebration, and freedom of expression.” – King Adz
