Distinctlyunique,TelAviv’sstreetartrepresentsawidespectrumofculturalbackgroundsandaestheticsensibilities.EchoingtheuncertaintythatpermeatesIsrael’sdailyexistence,itpossessesarawnessandenergyfoundinfewmoderncities.Throughmorethan250images,14artistprofiles,andcomprehensiveresearch,StreetArtTelAvivintroducesthereadertoanalternativevisualculturethathasdevelopedandthrivedatatimewhenthecitysbuildingexteriorsareplentiful,andlivingandworkspacesarestillavailabletoemergingartists.Attheturnofthe21stcentury,TelAviv’sgrittystreets,particularlythoseinsouthernindustrialneighbourhoods,begantohostamotleyarrayofspectralfaces,uncannyfiguresandcuriouscharacters.Randomgraffiti,fromscrawlsonthewallstostylizedletters,madetheirwayintolargelyvacantspaces.Artisticrenderingsofband-aids,heartsandeggplantsevolvedintoiconiccityimages.PoeticexpressionsandmusingsfromthepersonaltothecollectivesurfacedincreasinglyonTelAviv’sflatfacades.Andwhilemuchofwhatispainteddirectlyontothewallsavoidscommentingonthecity’sprecariouspoliticalstate,thestencilsthatcontinuetosurfaceoftenstealthilyinthedarkalertustothecitysseeminglyirresolvable,ever-presentexternalandinternalconflicts.StreetArtTelAvivalsogivesentryintoTelAviv’sCentralBusStation,Israel’slargestindoorurbanartgallery.Showcasingmuralsinadiverserangeofstyles,painteddirectlyontoitswallsbylocal,nationalandinternationalartistssince2013,itisafavouritesiteforstreetartandcontemporaryartenthusiasts.Herewiththeopportunitytoexplorethisvibrantcity’svisuallandscapeatatimeoftransitionforboththecityitselfandforthisnewvisualartgenre.
