An Insider's Guide to the Best NYC Street Art in 2024
While graffiti has not always been considered art and in many places is still considered vandalism, NYC street art has been a part of the city’s cultural status. What city is known for street art? The answer is definitely New York City.
According to Lindsay Bates at the University of Pennsylvania, “[Graffiti] has long been referred to as a voice of the public, speaking out, in an often clever and succinct manner, on political, social or economic issues.
It is highly relatable and can inspire surprise and delight within its viewer, who may stumble upon a piece of street art unexpectedly.”
If you're still wondering about street art, the best way to learn is to see it for yourself – or to keep reading this article. Where in New York is known for its art scene? Manhattan immediately jumps to mind, but there are plenty of regions of this infamous island-conglomerate city to amuse and engage art lovers of all ages.
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NYC Street Art History
The 1960s and 70s is really when street art began as a noticeable art-form in New York. Starting as an art to showcase self-expression and rebellion with messages related to controversy in order to cause discussion, it transformed over time to a sign of resilience as a symbol for overcoming inequality and neglect.
Graffiti became a medium for bringing true artwork to the masses, outside of elitist art galleries. However, it remained a form of vandalism according to the police force.
In the 1980s, the art form continued to gain traction in the art world, as well as causing social commentary around social stratification and marginalized populations.
Warhol paintings are famous for their Pop Art style and in the 80s Andy Warhol befriended Jean-Michel Basquiat through a collaborative art project with Francesco Clemente and the two of them continued to create art together for years to come. This formed some of the most popular Basquiat paintings.
Other New York graffiti artists, 80s painters and groups with their own unique collaborative styles emerged. The subway system became a major location for tagging, which was part of why the police force continued to increase enforcement of anti-vandalism laws.
Throughout the 1990s, street art finally began to achieve some of the recognition it deserves as a legitimate form of art.
NYC street art turned a corner in the early 2000s with the emergence of artists like Banksy. Festivals and exhibitions focusing on street art began to celebrate this global trend. Williamsburg and Bushwick became the go-to streets for viewing the best art.
Businesses and artists began to link up to create legal works of NYC street art, though it also created controversy in the art world as to what constitutes “selling out,” considering the grassroots beginnings of the movement.
As the 21st century continues, art styles are developing in this modern medium of graffiti. Even surrealism art is finding a new home through street art, proliferated through social media. Take your mind out of the harsh realities of life as you enjoy a surrealist painting on the side of a subway car or an abandoned building.
The concept of having surrealist art on such an intense canvas is often a social commentary in and of itself. You won't find such fascinating conceptual art in NYC art galleries, though you might find more traditional forms of art there, if that's what you prefer.
Is Street Art Legal in NYC?
NYC Street Art is largely legally produced these days, as it is sponsored or even paid for by local businesses. The 100 Gates Project matches up Lower East Side businesses with local artists for some gorgeous murals of street art.
It's true that not all graffiti is sanctioned now, but more often than not the beautiful NYC street art is a modern form of legal art.
The New York State Penal Code 145.60 defines graffiti without consent as a class A misdemeanor. The New York City Administrative Code 10-117 is approximately the same, as it prohibits unauthorized painting and drawing on public or private property.
The NYC Transit Authority has rules against graffiti on public transportation such as subways and buses. Each of these carries consequences like hefty fines or exile from using said transportation services.
If you're interested in learning to recreate this style of art on your own terms, look into painting classes in NYC! You'll have a lot of fun brushing up on your skills under the guidance of an expert artist. Whether you're interested in starting from scratch such as painting for beginners or something more advanced like how to find your art style.
Famous New York City Street Art
Street Art abounds in NYC. Where is the best street art in NYC? Here are a few of the most well known locations! Some are famous murals in NYC and others are a type of New York Street Art for sale.
If you're looking for a little inspiration, such as art ideas for teens or for adults, some of the graffiti gracing the walls of New York cities streets are the place to look.
Fight for Street Art
Found at 147 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, (once known as the area of Williamsburg), the “Fight for Street Art” mural by Kobra shows Andy Warhol and Basquiat joined together once more through Kobra's unique style of art.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg
If you're a Ruth Bader Ginsberg fan, there is a massive permanent mural in her honor painted at the corner of 11th Street and 1st Avenue.
Big Pun
910 Rogers Place in the Bronx was decorated with a mural by Tats Cru celebrating the life of Puerto Rican rapper Big Pun (short for Big Punisher). This mural is given the honor of a redesign every year on the birthday of Hip Hop's first Latin platinum artist, which is November 10th.
Crack is Wack
One of the most interesting of famed street art is a work in Harlem meant to deter young people from drugs, called “Crack is Wack” by Keith Haring. It is a double sided work and can be viewed on East 128th Street and Harlem River Drive.
Hammer Boy
Discover perhaps the most famous of NYC street art “Hammer Boy” by Banksy which resides at West 79th Street near Broadway.
Graffiti Hall of Fame
For fun and tourist-ready NYC street art, you can visit the Graffiti Hall of Fame, a Harlem wall considered the “art gallery of local street artists”. Located in Park Avenue, new themes and artists are chosen to decorate this area every year for over thirty years.
Tuff City
Dive into the insider perspective of New York City when you stop by the Tuff City, Bronx tattoo shop. The main street art attraction is a 45-foot subway car decorated in gorgeous tags and artworks that could almost constitute a mural in combination.
Freeman Alley
Duck down Freeman Alley after a lovely afternoon dining at Freeman's Restaurant on the Lower East Side. This is a little less famous but much less of a tourist attraction, so maybe you can avoid some crowds here.
Welling Court Mural Project
Another notorious work of art is the Welling Court Mural Project, which is one of the longest-running mural projects in the five boroughs that make up New York City proper. Located in Brooklyn, this project began in 2009 as a way to beautify the area and now contains over 150 murals by international and domestic artists alike.
Coney Art Walls
Through the years of 2015 to 2018 there were sixty-eight murals and wall projects curated by Joseph J. Sitt and Jeffrey Deitch at the Coney Art Walls outdoor museum of street art. Summertime is a common time for crowds at this exhibit on Coney Island.
Two World Trade Center
Speaking of beautifying the world, the Two World Trade Center has a mural that is ever changing in the financial district to add a little color to the lives of those who deal with math for work every day.
There may be too many lovely locations to view graffiti in New York to create a NYC street art map, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to plan your art viewing trip!
Though it may be even more fun to find murals spontaneously as you go about your usual business in town or enjoy new restaurants. You might even turn this into a scavenger hunt, something to add to your list of team building activities in NYC.
For even more fun things to see in NYC, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
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