The origins of graffiti in Athens
Elegant, historical Thissio seems an unlikely starting point for a street art tour. But after our guide, Rude, gives us his introduction, it soon makes sense. Not far from where we stand is a secret most passers-by miss: a depot where metro trains park up for the night. Peering inside, we can make out rows of metal trains covered with graffiti. Our guide reveals a little-known Greek connection to the birth of graffiti in 1970s New York. One of the most iconic tags that appeared on subway cars across the Big Apple, TAKI 183, was painted by a Greek called Dimitrios. His tag came from his nickname, ‘Dimitraki’, and his address, 183rd Street.
Photo: Amalia Kovaiou
Photo: Alex King
Graffiti took off in Athens during the 1990s and blossomed during the economic crisis from 2009, when emotions ran high and maintenance budgets ran low. Since then, graffiti has conquered more and more of the city. Today, Athens is, arguably, Europe’s hottest destination for street art. As we take in the painted trains, Rude poses two questions that we’ll mull over for the rest of the tour: “What are the boundaries between vandalism, graffiti and street art? And how much of what we see painted is actually beautiful?”
Painting a post-industrial landscape
Our next stop is an old trolley bus depot — now an events space that’s covered in bold, colourful Wildstyle pieces and twisted characters, by street artists including Ino, Raiden, Jasone, Ozone and Kez. This derelict building was given a new lease of life in 2014 as part of Urban Act, a nationwide project that promotes artistic interventions in degraded public spaces.
The walls of the former Gazi gasworks, now a municipal arts centre, industrial museum, and innovation hub called Technopolis, have also been covered with towering murals inspired by the area’s industrial heritage. The murals show how buildings and even entire neighbourhoods can be re-energised through street art, turning forgotten and unwelcoming spaces into places where people actually want to hang out.
Photo: Alex King
Photo: Alex King
“They asked two artists, Iva and Ino to paint the old gasworks,” Rude explains. “Ino is a very famous street artist in Greece who started off with basic block typography, but after studying at the Athens School of Fine Arts his style evolved. He created these two pieces inspired by the smoke from the factory's chimneys and the workers. You see how Iva blends colours with strokes? This is how to recognise his work.”
Strolling around Gazi, a working-class neighbourhood turned nocturnal hotspot, prompts a reflection on street art’s relationship with gentrification, as well as how graffiti has either been stimulated or co-opted by brands and advertisers. One of the most striking pieces here features a couple embracing, as a giant tank seems to burst through the wall behind them. Painted by Billy Gee, it was an advertising commission for a condom brand, but their logo was painted over when the contract expired.
Photo: Alex King
Photo: Alex King
When buildings become works of art
One artist that Rude really brings to life by revealing his backstory and a number of his most impressive pieces is WD, a highly-respected street artist from Bali who now lives in Athens.“Wherever you see this little WD logo or his other cross-eyed smiley face logo, you can recognise his work,” Rude points out. “He is one of the few artists who paints with brushes [rather than spray cans]. He makes pretty environments from nowhere. One of his trademarks is combining the building with his paintings.”
As street art is by nature often found in the grittier corners of a city, the tour skirts around some areas of Athens that are less wholesome than the well-worn tourist trail. Exploring these areas as a group, with a streetwise local, makes them much easier to navigate.
I’ll leave the rest of the tour’s discoveries a mystery. After all, one of the most enjoyable things about this experience was not knowing what we’d find around each corner. Or stumbling across a stunning piece of work in the most unassuming spot.
Photo: Alex King
What’s the verdict?
You’ll leave with enough insight about the major players on the Athens street art scene, so you can spot their works and track their future output. More importantly, you’ll appreciate how the art that covers a city’s walls is a window into understanding the local social and political reality.
- Duration: 3 hours
- Cost: €49 for adults (coffee break not included)
- Time: 10.00 am Mondays-Sundays.