Book Description

Distinctly unique, Tel Aviv's street art represents a wide spectrum of cultural backgrounds and aesthetic sensibilities. Echoing the uncertainty that permeates Israel's daily existence, it possesses a rawness and energy found in few modern cities. Through more than 250 images, 14 artist profiles, and comprehensive research, Street Art Tel Aviv introduces the reader to an alternative visual culture that has developed and thrived at a time when the citys building exteriors are plentiful, and living and workspaces are still available to emerging artists. At the turn of the 21st century, Tel Aviv's gritty streets, particularly those in southern industrial neighbourhoods, began to host a motley array of spectral faces, uncanny figures and curious characters. Random graffiti, from scrawls on the walls to stylized letters, made their way into largely vacant spaces. Artistic renderings of band-aids, hearts and eggplants evolved into iconic city images. Poetic expressions and musings from the personal to the collective surfaced increasingly on Tel Aviv's flat facades. And while much of what is painted directly onto the walls avoids commenting on the city's precarious political state, the stencils that continue to surface often stealthily in the dark alert us to the citys seemingly irresolvable, ever-present external and internal conflicts. Street Art Tel Aviv also gives entry into Tel Aviv's Central Bus Station, Israel's largest indoor urban art gallery. Showcasing murals in a diverse range of styles, painted directly onto its walls by local, national and international artists since 2013, it is a favourite site for street art and contemporary art enthusiasts. Herewith the opportunity to explore this vibrant city's visual landscape at a time of transition for both the city itself and for this new visual art genre.