Valparaíso is considered the cultural capital of Chile. One step on the street and you immediately see the vibrant colors of houses plastered with street art. Many street artists are formally trained in some sort of art degree and can skip the phases of tagging and bombing and go straight to street art. Valparíso is known for their street art and now offers a free walking tour to explain some of it. 

Street art came to Chile around the 1940s but grafitti didn’t really become popular until the 1960s. In 1973 there was a military coup for 27 years where the graffiti was mostly political propaganda. Once that ended, people took to the streets to express their thoughts and feelings. 

This artist is named Teo and loves to use Van Gogh scenes in his paintings. This was all done with a spray can and his fingers. Fun fact: Van Gogh’s brother was named Matheo (Teo) and often supported him through his hard times. It is almost perfect that this artist is inspired by him.

This artist uses the name Painters. He uses a technique called modern cubism where he creates a cohesive image out of various shapes.

ASJ is from Spain and uses realism for his street art. I find this to be a stunning piece of work.

The doors in Valparíso are so amazing and colorful. I was obsessed with the color contrast and the vibrancy surrounding everything. The last door is by far my favorite in the city!