Since the very first debate about the chicken or the egg coming first, scholars have debated whether graffiti is art or vandalism. Marketing was invented right around this same time when the first caveman started selling rocks. As time has marched forward, so to has the creativity of market-ologists and their quest to get our attention. Whether it’s for the love of art or for the clicks and likes, businesses see murals/art walls as a way to garner more views and attract potential customers. Some businesses even pay graffiti artists to tag their own buildings. And with the rise of art walls in cities of every size, we’re now able to appreciate graffiti in places other than railroad crossings waiting for trains to pass. One such place is the aptly named Houston Graffiti Building. If you guessed that this is a building…with graffiti…in Houston…you’re a genius!

Personally I’m a big fan of the abstract/collage artwork in general, which is probably why I love murals so much. I feel like I get a glimpse into the artist’s thought process when I look at their art. I can almost imagine what they were thinking as they creatively combined different parts to form a whole picture. You have all of these inspirations and ideas to draw from but it has to be merged into one singular story. In the pictures below you can see how the artists drew inspiration from Houston’s rich history with NASA and space exploration knowing that Houstonians would connect to it.  Add in the Houston skyline, a positive message about changing the world for the graduating class, and some love for tacos and you have yourself an art wall that’s sure to get mad respect.

In case you were wondering, my wife is the lovely lady featured in the photos below. And although she is very artistic, she didn’t paint any of these walls. Per the norm, I took all of these with the Fujifilm X-T3 using the Fujinon XF 18-50mm lens. If you’re in the Houston area you should definitely go check this place out!