The street art scene in Los Angeles has gone viral, one can hardly turn a corner, drive down the street, or grab a coffee without running into yet another fabulous work of art. I recently read a Bombing Science article, which listed the top 99 instagrammable cities in the world for graffiti, and It came as no suprise to me that Los Angeles, at #6, was ranked in the top 10. If you’ve been following my instagram feed you’ll know that I definitely contributed to that ranking.
Expression through art is nothing new, but with today’s social media phenomenon artists now have the ability to get their message to more people than ever before. While at times I get annoyed by the competitive nature of social media, I do love the ability to discover so much amazing art, not just here in LA, but around the world.
It’s A Living DTLA Arts District
All this positive exposure has definitely helped to bring about the mainstream acceptance of an art form that was at one time considered vandalism and nothing more. Whether it be loving, Inspirational, motivational, cheerful, political, bitter or just plain fun the street art in LA is sending a message. The question is are we listening?
Table of Contents
Social Fatigue Media
This fun mural can be found in Downtown LA’s Little Tokyo. I just love the message @dmirworld is sending, and the moment I saw this I just knew I had to share. For me the message is so clear. It’s crazy how we get so wrapped up in social media and whether or not someone else appreciates/loves what we choose to share. I share what brings me joy and I hope that it will do the same for others!
Love Notes
James Goldcrown’s #bleedinghearts love walls are some of the most popular expressions of love in LA, but you’ll find messages of love all over town!
J. Goldcrown Alfred’s Coffee Melrose
Gina Flo w/ Beautify Earth Melrose and Western.
Motivation, Inspiration and Imagination
Much to my delight there are messages of inpsiration and motivivation everywhere! I get so excited when I come upon something new, which is just about every time I go out and about! Like these angel wings I stumbled upon just the other day while exploring the Fashion District.
The first Angel Wings were painted on Traction Avenue in the DTLA Arts District, but lucky you they can now be found all over the world! These are just a few of the many wings located here in the City of Angels. Check the official Collette Miller Angel Wings map to see if there are any near you!
WRDSMTH’s positive words of widom can be found everywhere in the City of Angels, as well as around the world. He recently held a solo art show featuring canvases and prints of some of his most popular street art, and I happily attended.
Here are a mix of images some from the show and some from the street.
Meeting WRDSMTH at Fais Dodo
Sound Advice
Looking for some advice? Don’t worry you’re covered:
Unknown Windward Avenue Venice Beach
Be confident! Women get sh*t done!
Beautify Earth Collaboration Pico Boulevard Mural Trail
Explore your surroundings. Life is full of wonderment!
Unknown Venice Art Walls
Wish your dream!
Megzany Arts District Co-Op
Be the best version of you! Be happy with it!
Sidewalk Sayings
These little sayings are all over the sidewalk in LA. Some are more postitive/friendly than others, however, if like the message says, you don’t look up from your phone now and again you’re bound to miss them. At least that’s how I choose interpret it!
Politics Politics Politics
I generally gravitate toward more positive messages when it comes to taking photos of street art, but these political murals can be found all over town. Written words or not, their messages are clear.
Kai Melrose Avenue
Unknown Melrose Avenue
Unknown Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Keep Your Head Up
After all life it… aint easy…
It’s A Living The Container Yard DTLA
but if you reflect…
Sel Dog Pico Boulevard Mural Trail
forgive…
Mike Norice South Central Los Angeles
and pay it forward…
Unknown DTLA Arts District
from the dirt a flower must grow!
Unknown Melrose Avenue
I literally can’t keep up with all the fabulous new art going up in this town, but I’m having a great time trying! Having already written a number of posts on LA’s street art scene I’ve done my best to feature all new images in this post! I hope you enjoy!
To discover more fun street art pieces around LA check out these related posts:
Downtown Los Angeles Graffiti & Mural Walking Tour
InstaLA! 15 Places to Snap Those InstaGood Pics
InstaLA! Part 2: #WallAntics
InstaLA! Part 3: Art Explosion
Venice Art Walls: Caution Wet Paint
Los Angeles, How I ❤️ Thee…
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Katherine
I’ve been seeing the LA wings everywhere on Instagram over the past week. A great coincidence that I get to read about them now! #CityTripping
Hilary
We have lots of wings here!! Not just Colette Miller, but I feel like she started the trend… we have fun interacting with the art when we find them!
California Globetrotter
That Top 10 is impressive! I had no idea Reykjavik had so much street art, although I’ve never been! Those the messages behind so many of these ones, especially the Women Get Sh** Done! Pinned for later!! #CityTripping
Hilary
Cool list right!? I had a feeling that LA would be up there, and I’m kicking myself for not seeking out more art when I was in NYC two years ago… The Women get …. mural is gone now, but there is a new one there currently.
California Globetrotter
Oh bummer!! Sad about the Women mural! And NY just means a return trip!
danniijane
I love all your street art photos! Lots of creative people in LA. I’m surprised London has so much street art, I usually just see messy grafitti rather then great creative stuff. Reykjavik has nice street art and Bergen in Norway x
Hilary
The amount of talent is staggering! I’m planning on going on a street art tour when I visit London, and I can’t wait! Btw, have you ever been to/heard of God’s Own Junkyard? I think it’s in your neck of the woods!
danniijane
No I hadn’t! It looks cool. It’s a bit more North then where I live but not that far x
Hilary
Thinking I may have to check it out when I’m in town!
danniijane
Yes it looks good. I can’t wait to see photos from when you do the street art tour here x
Lydia C. Lee
I like the keep your head up one is on the ground. I need to see that. Ha! #Citytripping
Ticket to Adventures
Stunning street art pieces!
joylovestravel
So creative, colourful and thought provoking as well. Going to check for those angel wings now just in case there are some near us!
Hilary
Oh! I hope you find some! Let me know!
Courtney Minor
I love street art, and LA is definitely a great place for it. I love the Women Get Sh*t Done mural! #FarawayFiles
Hilary
Thank you! We do have quite a bit to enjoy here!
Ruth
Oh my! You keep finding these awesome places in LA. I have been slow lately and haven’t had time to keep finding places. The thing is that new murals keep popping all the time. I saw some in here I have never seen in the Arts District or Little Tokyo. Will need to go to the area once again. Anyway, I was reading about the new eateries in DTLA. More reasons to go. #FarawayFiles
Hilary
Ooh! I’d love to hear about any eateries you discover!
Esther
Stunning!! I absolutely love street art and look for it in every city I go to. I am off to Belfast in a few weeks and can’t wait to see the famous murals there. The street art in LA looks lovely and colourful, like the city itself.
#FarawayFiles
Hilary
We visited a Belfast last year and were blown away by how much the visit meant to us! I wrote all about it! I highly recommend Paddy Campbell’s Black Cab tours!!!
Clare Thomson
I just love all these positive, life affirming messages you’re finding all over LA, Hilary. All these images are wonderful. I’ve just shown them to one of my sons as he disapproves of street art. You’ve almost converted him! Great sunshiney post for #FarawayFiles. Thank you Xx
Hilary
Oh no! He disapproves? We’re going to have to talk to him about that! ha ha! Simon just wrote a paper for english class about whether or not graffiti is art of vandalism… he votes art! No surprise there…
WanderMum
I do enjoy reading your street art posts Hilary. It must be incredibly hard to keep up with all the new artwork going up but you’re doing a great job. Great insight. Thanks for sharing #citytripping
Hilary
I’ve barely made a dent in all the art out there! I’ll also be posting about other LA fun in the coming weeks!
bavariansojourn
Wow, that’s an amazing collection of street art you have captured, it must have taken weeks to gather it all up! Great post! 🙂 #farawayfiles
Hilary
More like a year! It’s unbelievable how much art is available in this city!
fifi + hop
What a mood lifter to come across all of these positive messages! Fun post! #farawayfiles
Hilary
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Funny enough I visited an exhibition with a similar idea yesterday! Simon says it’s about who you know…
juliemtms
I absolutely LOVE street art!! It’s one of my fave things to look for these days in the cities we visit. I haven’t yet had the chance to venture around LA…it always seems like we’re in a rush to get to a destination when we’re there. Need to make a point if spending some time exploring on our next visit!
Hilary
We have SO much street art here its impossible to keep up, but I’m having an amaing time trying! Hopefully you’ll get a chance to explore more of LA next time instead of just passing through!
Anisa
I love all your pictures of the street art. One thing about that survey though they should have said best cities for streeet art not graffiti. Graffiti is not instagramable – it is ugly. What you captured is definitely street art! Curious what the #1 city was though? #TheWeeklyPostcard
Hilary
It’s funny you say that… there are many conflicting options about the difference between the two… even the artists don’t agree. many people believe that anything not done legally is graffiti, but that doesn’t always mean it’s ugly… the survey was conducted by tallying the number of posts from each city which also used the #graffiti it was conducted in partnership with instagram. The number one city is New York and there is a link to the survey in the post!
Anda
What a great post, Hilary! I should go see these murals. I was just complaining to my husband that all these other bloggers write about beautiful murals and street art and I haven’t seen but a few walls here and there. I had no idea they were actually so close to home. Thanks for sharing this. They are quite beautiful. #TheWeeklyPostcrd
Hilary
You should definitely go on a street art tour! Just head downtown to the arts district and you can see a ton of great stuff and get some great food at the same time!
RobRob @TravelLatte(.net)
What a fun post, and list! It’s great seein gthe cool art in LA. We’re in something of a Street Art Desert in our area, so we’re enjoying vicariously through your posts. 😉 Thanks for linking up again with #TheWeeklyPostcard!
Hilary
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! We have an abundance of street art here in LA, which I love, but at times worry that people might get tired of it…
oregongirlaroundtheworld
You know I adore Street Art too! It was very interesting seeing the political messages from my recent trips to Athens and New York. Great collection of diverse and unique visions. Thanks for sharing! #FarawayFiles
Catherine’s Cultural Wednesdays
Great selection, I love the wings. The typewriter person has been busy here in London too, they always make me smile #FarawayFiles
Hilary
That typewriter person is @wrdsmth his stuff is fun and positive!