Sample the Scintillating Street Art of Getsemaní
For a satisfying sampling of street art and stop-you-in-your-tracks graffiti, beeline it for Getsemaní, a colorful neighborhood on the fringes of Cartagena’s walled city.
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Just a decade ago, Getsemaní’s crumbling walls of brick and coral were better known for the shade they offered drug dealers and prostitutes than for the unique and colorful community that’s always called it home. But, as tourism gained momentum mere steps away in Centro, the people of Getsemaní saw an opportunity to transform their deserving corner of the city from crime zone to tourist attraction. Today, Getsemaní dishes up a feast for your eyes (and camera), but the real gift is the way the trail of street art often leads you straight into the beating heart of this truly special barrio.
How Getsemani’s Graffiti Got There in the First Place
In 2013, the community of Getsemaní invited street artists from Colombia and around the world to paint their dilapidated walls in an event called the First International Festival of Urban Art. The only condition was that the artists’ work be inspired by the people and events that have shaped this important neighborhood and Cartagena. The very walls they’d be painting once stood witness to the famous march of Pedro Romero and the Lanceros de Getsemani, an event that helped sway the vote in favor of independence from Spain.
The result of this week-long graffiti fest set the scene for even more transformative street art to liven up walls and alleyways in the years that followed. But, most importantly, it brought Getsemaní into the tourism fold, transforming the economy and livelihoods of its engaging residents in the process. Sadly, the hoards of tourists the community of Getsemaní so creatively attracted has caught the attention of hoteliers and restaurateurs and is now quickly becoming the reason its authentic local culture and longtime residents are disappearing.
The Best of Getsemaní’s Graffiti & Street Art
Maria Mulata by Yurika
In the heart of Getsemaní at the Plaza de la Trinidad, there’s a mustard yellow wall with the profile of a bird painted across it. The bird, known locally as “Maria Mulata” can often be found scavenging around Getsemaní and the greater city. The mural, painted by the Colombian artist Yurika in 2014, was inspired by a local children’s story that features these birds. As the local legend goes, the ”Maria Mulata” gathered together to save a village from an all-consuming fire. They scooped each person up in their beaks, collecting soot and ash on their colorful feathers until they were black forevermore. But, when the sun hits just right, it’s said that you can still see all of the bright colors shining through.
Dominga by Sem
About midway down Calle de la Sierpe is a mural of an older woman in a blue floral dress painted by a Colombian street artist named Sem. The woman’s name is Dominga and, until her death a few years ago, Getsemaní was her home and the community her collective caretakers. Ask a local about Dominga and chances are they’ll mention something about her dementia-induced (and sometimes comical) daily wanderings through the streets of Getsemaní. Today, she lives on upon this wall until the paint fades. Wander into Los Carpinteros on Callejón Ancho in Getsemaní and you’ll actually find the original photo that inspired this work of art.
The Three Warriors by Fin DAC
The Irish street artist Fin DAC went about this iconic Getsemaní mural by first reaching out to locals asking them to submit personal photos. His mission was to find a person who represented the mix of ethnicities found in Cartagena. Local Ana Luisa Muñoz fit the bill perfectly with her Afro-Caribbean features. You can find her face painted three times on the facade of Quintal Distrito Gourmet, just inside the old city walls of Getsemaní.
Kids of Getsemaní by Juegasiempre / DJ LU
This eye-catching mural located on Calle de la Sierpe belongs to the renowned Bogotá-born street artist Juegasiempre, whose street name reflects his philosophy on life: play always and let yourself be surprised. His work often features the people from the area in which he’s painting. In this case, it fittingly features a group of rambunctious kids he met playing in the streets of Getsemaní. In an interview with AL DÍA, he shared: “When people see their faces on the wall, enlarged, magnified, they get happy, they feel grateful because they feel recognized.” Mission accomplished in this case Juegasiempre. Those weaponized insects buzzing in the back of the scene are Juegasiempre’s trademark pictograms. This particular pictogram is meant to represent the way Colombians have become used to war and the armed conflict, shooing it away or ignoring it altogether.
Joe Arroyo by Unknown
Though it could use a touch up, this large-scale mural on Calle de la San Juan features the late Joe Arroyo, a beloved Cartagena native and the king of Colombian salsa. His music pulled upon the rhythms and traditions of Colombia and the greater Caribbean, earning him a spot on the coveted walls of Getsemaní. This mural puts a face to the song that’s likely been following you around town called La Rebelion. It’s about a 17th century slave uprising in Cartagena and it’s practically the city’s national anthem.
How to Experience Getsemaní’s Graffiti
The Tour Option
If backstory matters to you, sign up for a guided graffiti tour. Most tours begin in the Plaza de la Trinidad of Getsemani (right in front of the Maria Mulata mural) and are led by a local from Getsemani. You’ll glean insight into local life and the stories behind every piece of art you came across. The added native perspective from the guide is priceless. When I did the tour, we finished at the guide’s home for a glass of tomate de arbol juice and more conversation with his wife and kids.
The Do-It-Yourself Option
Short on time or funds? Breeze through Calle de la Sierpe and Calle de San Juan for an uninterrupted string of street art. Plus, you can finish it off with a unique coffee concoction at Cafe del Mural conveniently located at the end of this faster-paced route.
Travel Resources
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What to Read Next
For a satisfying sampling of street art and stop-you-in-your-tracks graffiti, beeline it for Getsemaní, a colorful neighborhood on the fringes of Cartagena’s walled city.