Art in the Streets SoWeBo Style

This article was posted by Martha Cooper 1 Month, 1 week, 4 days, 18 hours, 5 minutes ago.

Since 2006 I’ve been documenting a Southwest Baltimore neighborhood called SoWeBo known more for its portrayal in the TV program The Wire than for its art. But some of Baltimore’s earliest graffiti writers such as Shaken began their careers here and are still going strong.

Street art is a novelty here although there are plenty of very inviting walls. Recently Stefan Ways organized a major makeover of Carroll Skate Park. Last weekend I watched Gaia wheat paste a pigeon drawing in an alley that, in fact, has a lot of pigeons. Hopefully other artists will make their way west into this relatively virgin territory. I’ll be keeping my camera ready.

Gaia hits SoWeBo

Good vibes from the neighbors

Stockton Alley off Lombard if you're in the area

Lots of pigeons in the area

Gaia's piece drawn from my 1978 photo of HE3 with pigeons on Lower Eastside rooftop.

Dink with a Jazi canvas he generously gave to me. It fell into his hands in a circuitous way.

Stefan Ways organized local artists to spell out Carroll Park on the side of the skatepark.

Fresh piece by Shaken off Pratt Sreet

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