gRaffiTi iN bEiRuT…

While I’m in the midst of penning a longer post about Easter in Beirut, I thought I’d share some shots of street art in Beirut–and especially from Hamra…

Where have you seen Hamra before? Well, maybe on Homeland. But–as I’ve pointed out before–the real Hamra is a world away from Homeland. Instead of those masked gunmen on a dusty road, you’ll find H&M, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and Radio Shack…and oh so many cafes and cocktails…

Hamra, once the intellectual watering hole of Beirut in the 1960s and 1970s…is still bustling with activity and nightlife today…and on almost every street corner…

…you’ll find some graffiti…

…where you least expect it.

…to promote upcoming events…

…make a political statement…

…and surprise the eyes with unexpected art in all directions…

Currently, there are no laws on the books against spray painting in Lebanon…

…but recently a Lebanese painter and poet was charged with disrupting the public order…

…because one of his images may have crossed that unmarked line.

The landscape of our neighborhood is constantly changing–murals come and go…

…there are new manifestos to proclaim–new concerts to announce–and new images to create.

The street art of Hamra keeps things fresh–we’ve got a conversation going. The day to worry, perhaps, is the day the graffiti stands still. For now, these night artists are still stalking the streets, making themselves–and their art–be known…