Málaga is magnetic to visitors for its bright culture, food and surroundings. A city between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains is a geographical treasure for holidays. But beside popular sights in the city’s center, there is one highly underrated thing about Málaga: Its urban art scene. To quote the streetart blog “Graffitiartist.de”: “Streetart in Málaga is a captivating mosaic of creativity and cultural richness.”
Barrio de las Artes – Málagas art district
Between the Centro Histórico and Málagas port lies the so-called art district of the city: Soho Málaga. Adjacent to the Guadalmedina river, await vibrant roads and alleys full of Street-art. Bigger and smaller graffiti, tags and huge wall murals by international urban atrists, such as Obey and D*Face, as well as pieces of local artists, embellish the exterior of a large number of buildings located in this district.
Some of the enormous works of art can already be seen from far away. When you walk down the Alameda Principal, crossing the bridge coming from El Perchel, the probably largest murals – on a residental building at Calle Comandante Benitez – invite everyone to take a closer look and explore the streets of Málaga’s Barrio de las Artes.
The MAUS project
Back in 2013, Málaga established a streetart initiative in Soho. The MAUS (Málaga Arte Urbano Soho) project was supposed to transform the rundown streets of the neighbourhood into an Open-Air-Museum. Torn down walls and empty boring walls served as urban canvasses for artists. Some of these works still exists after over a decade and represents Málaga’s cultural and artistic history. Curious visiors can search up the “MAUS Map” on the internet and start their tour through Soho.
However, streetart is not the only trait that characterises the district of Soho. Local etablishments offer Spanish traditional food, tapas and drinks. The market “Made in Soho” (also called “Mercado Urbano del Soho”), that takes place every first Saturday of the month, provides local art and handcrafted items to purchase. Also, one of the most important theatres in Málaga is located in Soho, the Teatro del Soho CaixaBank, representing even more art forms such as dance, theater and music.
True local streetart
Soho Málaga might be the officially proclaimed disrict of arts. Nevertheless, local urban art in other neighborhoods is often overlooked. Lagunillas, a small district in the north of Málaga’s center, represents streetart of local and unknown artists. Almost every empty wall in the area around Calle Lagunillas was used as a canvas. Stone stairs were painted in vibrant colours and there are creative works of art everywhere.
But time left it marks on this neighborhood, too. Even though a variety of the original streetart is still visible, some of those works vibrant colours shaded or pieces even got removed as a whole.
Nevertheless, Málaga is rich on urban art to explore for everyone interested in modern streetart. Spend a day looking for the most magnificent streetart pieces, the city has to offer and you will not be dissapointed.
