If like me you enjoy a wander around an interesting neighbourhood just as much (if not more) as seeing the major sights of a city, Santiago’s Barrio Lastarria is likely to appeal. This is the perfect area to stroll through and enjoy for its ambiance and street life. And it’s a great district in which to photograph street art.
The district is roughly triangular in shape and lies between the Cerro Santa Lucia to the east and Plaza Baquedano to the west, with the Parque Forestal as its northern border and the Avenida del Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins to the south. It takes its name from the 19th century Chilean writer Jose Victorino Lastarria Santander.
The Barrio Lastarria is also an excellent spot for some people-watching, one of our favourite holiday pastimes. We enjoyed a coffee in a little square just off José Victorino Lastarria while soaking up our last dose of spring sunshine on the morning of our departure from Chile.
Street art in the Barrio Lastarria
This is definitely an area worth seeking out for a stroll with camera in hand. So here’s a selection of photos taken there for this week’s Photographing Public Art challenge.
The two photos above are a pair, with these large birds either side of the window
Like the two birds above (and in my featured photo), this was taken on Merced, on the northern fringes of the Barrio
The café’s shutters are closed but the tables and chairs are in position
Emulating the Old Masters perhaps?
Two more from Merced
I found these very different blue women near Universidad Católica metro station
There were some interesting painted bollards near the same station
One of my favourite pieces (the flowers) and one of the largest
Two more large ones, from outside the the Museo de Artes Visuales; unfortunately we weren’t able to go inside, as we were here on a Monday when most Santiago museums are closed
Two more to finish, again from the area around the Universidad Católica metro station
I visited Santiago in 2016
21 Comments
Julie
Lovely collection of murals! Especially love one large scale one with the flowers!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Julie, I’m glad you like them 🙂
Marsha Ingrao
Murals do attract visitors, and even little towns like Woodlake are getting some interesting murals. Nothing compared to the ones you have shared, though. I wonder what message the artist is trying to get across with blue woman #2. That one mural could be an entire post. I loved the picnic that had gone to the birds. Lots to love and a lot of variety.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Marsha 🙂 I too wonder about that blue woman mural – it looks to me like some sort of protest about voices not being heard or people being silenced for some reason, but that’s just a wild guess.
thehungrytravellers.blog
Always brilliant when you can study great and meaningful examples of street art…though we often wonder where different people draw the line between street art and graffiti.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂 I guess there’s a fine line between the two but I look for creativity, artistic skill and a thoughtful consideration matching art work to location.
thehungrytravellers.blog
Yeah that’s a pretty good set of guidelines Sarah. I think we like most those which are linked to local matters, either current or historical. Saw some terrifically moving stuff in Croatia centred around the collapse of Yugoslavia and the Bosnian War. And in Thessaloniki, a graphic depicting the EU as the Grim Reaper…not an uncommon viewpoint in Greece!
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, local interest always helps too. I’ve come across quite a few historical murals in the US in particular. Those Croatian ones sound very worth seeing.
Alli Templeton
I enjoy people watching too, Sarah, but I think I might be a bit distracted by the amazing street art here! Those ‘Old Masters’ are incredible, and I love the painted bollards. If you’ve got to have them, why not make them fun? 😀
Sarah Wilkie
I know what you mean about the distractions here Alli 🙂 Sometimes I like to combine the two by looking out for interesting people to include in my street art photos, as in the featured shot!
Cee Neuner
What outstanding and brilliantly colored street art. You captured it perfectly. Thanks Sarah 😀
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Cee, glad you enjoyed these 🙂
Alison
Wonderful murals Sarah. Some cities do street art so well.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Alison – more and more cities seem to be doing so these days, i think they’ve realised it enhances the city streets and attracts visitors 🙂
Teresa
Thanks Sarah! Love seeing murals from other countries!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Teresa – me too, as you know 😆
Teresa
Of course!
Nemorino
Such intriguing street art! Thanks for showing us your photos.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Don, glad you enjoyed seeing these 🙂
margaret21
Such a vibrant variety here. Street art is becoming a reason in itself to travel these days.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Margaret 🙂 Yes, I think there’s definitely a trend towards seeking out street art when we travel and maybe some people choose destinations where they know there is a good street art culture.