You Have To See This 1-Mile Long Graffiti Wall In Missouri To Believe It
By Liz Oliver|Published June 30, 2018
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Liz Oliver
Author
Liz is a Missouri native with a B.A. in English from Mizzou and a M.A. in Non-Profit Administration from Lindenwood University. She works for a STL metro-area community college and enjoys writing, traveling, and indoor cycling. Her true passion is forcing her encyclopedic knowledge of Missouri facts on uninterested strangers from across the globe!
There are many unique and beautiful attractions hidden in Missouri. If you’re interested in arts and culture, there is an enormous (nearly 2 mile) cooperative graffiti wall that you absolutely have to see. Located along the Mississippi riverfront in St. Louis is the most beautiful collection of art in the state. You’ll be blown away by this mega mural.
In 1995, local artists and members of the St. Louis hip-hop community held an organized graffiti jam at the flood walls located downtown near Laclede's Landing. The event became known as Paint Louis and continued to grow through the early 2000s.
Artists from all over the country started attending the event and the mural grew. In 1998, the event broke a Guinness World Record for the longest graffiti wall. Sadly, in 2001, artists at the event caused a lot of damage to the city and the event was canceled.
Luckily, in 2013, members from the original Paint Louis got permission to re-organize the event. Currently, the event hosts hundreds of graffiti artists to recreate the wall each summer.
It's a great place to bring budding artists, especially because it's completely free and easily accessible. However, there are a few curse words that pop up along the way.
This detour is totally worthwhile. Take a few minutes during your next trip to St. Louis and check out this amazing wall! Paint Louis will occur on August 31st through September 9th in 2018. Artists and spectators are welcome!
Find the graffiti wall at the intersection of Chouteau Ave. & S Leonor K Sullivan Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63102. For more information about the event or the history of the wall, check out their website here.