Having been here for over a month now, I have walked extensively around many parts of the city. Being a huge fan of street art and graffiti, I look for it everywhere. Most of what I have seen has been centred in or near the pedestrian walk, through the centre of town. If you admire this art form as much as I do, a visit to Plovdiv, a city teeming with amazing street art will be right up your alley.
Kapana District
I knew before arriving that I would find the Kapana District in Plovdiv an interesting and cool place. I had seen pictures of the street art and bar scene. Almost every avenue you wander down in this district has some form of street art on the walls of the buildings. There are five massive pieces that cover one entire side of their structures, one of which I showed in the previous street art post.
Many smaller pieces can be seen lurking behind umbrellas or other outdoor furniture of the cafes. If I plan to photograph the art, I usually go early in the morning, before the area gets full of people and vehicles.
There are some super fun and unusual pieces in here. Most are full of colour and vibrancy with the exception of one large piece that is predominately shades of grey and white. I can never get a good shot of this piece as there are always commercial vehicles blocking the view.
Base of Sahat Tepe
There is another area that I found with extensive street art, and much newer than the art in the Kapana District, much of which is fading and older. This newer art is located at one entrance to Sahat Hill, or behind the TV Broadcast building. Another way to find it is to climb the steps at the ‘Together 2019’ sign. At the top, turn left and walk downhill. You will very quickly begin to see the murals and art.
When I first discovered this area, I was amazed at the talent and styles of work. Most of these are huge pieces, again incorporating the entire sides of large buildings. Visit in the early morning, and most of these will have unobstructed views.
Because they are only separated from the hill by one road, I was not able to get back far enough to take photos of the pieces in their entirety. They are that big.
One piece in particular is made of paper, almost like a decoupage. It is titled ‘News From Home’ by Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy. Again, it is a really large piece and so minutely detailed, really incredible. I don’t know how long it will withstand the weather, but for now it is really something special to see.
I will miss being surrounded by all of these creative juices flowing through the city when I leave. It has been fun being here. Every time I need to drink in colour or soak in a creative vibe, I step into the world of street art that is Plovdiv.
