“The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls”
– Paul Simon
I see Graffiti as visual rap, blues or jazz. Personal cultures created to convey messages often painfully moving or esthetically inspiring. The artists I met while they spray painted, each had their own culture, drive and goal – trying best to communicate their thoughts and feelings.
Between Tel Aviv and Jaffa where dusty streets are dotted with carpentries and garages, lies the graffiti heaven. Striding through hidden side streets you will dive into a world rich with color, beauty and charm. Plunging into this colourful world you will discover how each artist creates visual messages, chooses the ultimate technique and finally presents brilliant art pieces. You will be in the heart of the hottest debates typical of the Israeli society. It is all there on the walls – visual dialogues on politics, temporary art debates, cultural conflicts and at times representation of coexistence within Israeli society. This Tel Aviv tour links urban planning, history and evolution of local cultures. Experience the response authorities have towards street art and its effect on the local art community. During the Cross-Cultural Graffiti Tour you will see how avant-guard freedom of speech and urban democracy intertwine. More than all, you will learn the language of the graffiti art that definitely has what to say!
Meeting Point: HaRabi MiBachrach St. 26, Tel Aviv
Timetable: 2 Hours
Languages: English, Hebrew, French
What People Are Saying
“If you want to get to know Tel Aviv beyond what it looks in its most popular quarters, or at the beach, and actually understand some of what drives today’s Tel-Aviv-im (inhabitants of Tel Aviv), you are strongly recommended to check out Ilyll’s Graffiti Tour.”
– Nadine A.
“My husband and I did the Cross-Cultural Graffiti tour, which really made us feel like we were getting into the “guts” of the city; going deeper than we might with other more common types of tours. We learned a lot about an area of TLV we were unfamiliar with.”
– Anna Z.