La calle 45 como lienzo vivo
If you walk along Calle 45 between Carreras 13 and 15 on a Saturday morning, you'll come across something that doesn't appear in the usual travel guides. Here, there are no perfect sidewalks or facades freshly painted by the city government. What you'll find are walls that breathe, that change color every week, that tell stories of resistance, of the neighborhood, of anger and beauty. La Soledad, that piece of Bogotá that many know only for the gastronomic scene of the Zona G, is actually an open-air museum written in spray paint for over a decade.
While the Bronx Distrito Creativo became the official spot for urban art, with its huge murals and signatures from international artists, here in La Soledad the art is more street-level, rawer. There's no curation or sponsorship. There's a graffiti artist who at 3 in the morning stands on a corner with his cans, watching out for the police, and paints what he feels. That's what makes this neighborhood unique.
In July 2026, La Soledad remains a refuge for those seeking authentic street art, far from Instagram filters and organized tours. If you come to Bogotá and want to understand how the neighborhood breathes from the inside, this is the place.
What to do: a map of 5 unmissable murals
1. The social transformation mural at Carrera 13a with Calle 45
This is the most well-known in the neighborhood, and for good reason. On the corner of Carrera 13a and Calle 45, a three-story wall shows a woman with hummingbird wings holding a hibiscus flower. The artist, a Bogotá native who signs as Baco, painted it in 2022 as a tribute to the social leaders of the area. The colors are vibrant: electric blue, burnt orange, and emerald green. The best part is that the paint changes with the daylight: at sunset, the wings seem to move. If you want a photo without people, go on a weekday at 7 in the morning.
2. The neighborhood wall: portraits of locals at Carrera 13 # 45-12
Half a block from the previous one, on an exposed brick facade, there is a series of black and white portraits of neighborhood faces: the lady from the corner store, the shoemaker, a child with a ball. It was painted by a local collective called Pintalabios in 2023. It has no visible signature, but the neighbors take care of it as if it were their own. It's an example of how art here is not decoration, it's identity.
3. The abstract mural at Calle 46 with Carrera 14
On a peeling wall, almost hidden between two auto repair shops, there is an abstract mural that looks like an explosion of colors: yellow, red, purple. There is no human figure, only overlapping geometric shapes. It was painted by an artist who goes by Fuga, known for his psychedelic style. It's hard to find because there is no sign or plaque; you just have to notice the contrast with the gray surroundings. It's worth it because it's one of the few non-figurative murals in the area.
4. The tribute to musicians at Carrera 13 # 44-30
On the facade of an old house, there is a mural that mixes musical instruments with loose notes: an electric guitar, a saxophone, a drum. It was painted by El Chino, a graffiti artist who has lived in the neighborhood since he was a child. The caption at the bottom reads: "La Soledad suena" (La Soledad sounds). It's a nod to the neighborhood's musical tradition, where several rock and salsa musicians have lived. If you're lucky, they sometimes play at the door on weekends.
5. The newest mural: June 2026 at Calle 44 with Carrera 15
This is the most recent on the list. It appeared just a month ago, in June 2026, on the wall of an abandoned building. It's a woman's face with closed eyes, surrounded by withered flowers. It has no signature, but neighbors say it was painted by a girl who comes at dawn. It represents the memory of the conflict's victims in the city. It's raw, unadorned, and you can tell it was done in a hurry, as if time were running out.
Brief interview: "I paint at dawn because that's when the neighborhood speaks"
One dawn in July, at 2 in the morning, I met Luis "Lucho" Martínez, a 28-year-old graffiti artist who has been painting in La Soledad since he was 16. He was on the corner of Carrera 13a and Calle 46, with a headlamp and three spray cans. He agreed to talk while finishing a sketch of a stray dog.
—Why at dawn?
—Because at this time there's no one. The police pass by every two hours, but if you know the schedule, you have time. Plus, the neighborhood feels different. You hear the dogs, the distant cars, the wind. It's like the walls ask you to put something on them.
—What do you seek with your murals?
—I don't seek fame. I seek that the people who live here feel seen. Many murals elsewhere are for tourists, with pretty messages. Here I paint what hurts: gentrification, evictions, the solitude that gives the neighborhood its name. If a neighbor laughs when they see it, I've already won.
—How does a graffiti artist survive in Bogotá?
—With day jobs. I'm a bicycle messenger. At night, I paint. Sometimes I sell a piece to a collector, but it's not steady. What keeps me going is that this is the only thing I know how to do well.
Lucho left before dawn, leaving the dog half-finished. He said he would come back the next day. That's the dynamic of the neighborhood: the art is never quite finished.
How to find the artists in action: timing tips
If you want to see the graffiti artists painting live, don't expect to find them during office hours. Most work at night or in the early morning, when there is less traffic and less risk of fines (painting in public space without permission is still illegal in Bogotá, although authorities usually turn a blind eye in La Soledad).
- Best time: between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m., especially from Thursday to Saturday.
- Most active areas: Carrera 13a between Calles 44 and 46, and Carrera 14 near Calle 45.
- Signs that someone is painting: flashlight lights moving on high walls, smell of spray paint, music playing softly from a portable speaker.
- Etiquette: don't use flash for photos, don't interrupt them while they work, and if you want to talk, wait until they finish a line. Most are friendly if they see you respect their process.
- Daytime alternative: on weekends, some artists paint in the afternoon, especially if there are events organized by the neighborhood's Community Action Board. Ask at the corner store at Carrera 13 # 45-10; they know when there are sessions.
Contrast with official muralism in other areas
It's easy to compare La Soledad with the Bronx Distrito Creativo or with the muralism on Calle 26, but they are different worlds. In the Bronx, the murals are commissioned by the city government, they have a budget, scaffolding, and sometimes even an inauguration with photographers. They are pretty, yes, but they lose that spark of spontaneity. Here in La Soledad, the murals are born out of necessity. There is no curator's signature or explanatory plaque. Sometimes a mural lasts only three months because another artist comes and paints over it. It's a constant cycle of creation and destruction.
Furthermore, while in the Bronx the art is designed to be seen by tourists (with maps, signs, and even a QR code), in La Soledad you have to look for it. That makes it more exciting. It's like a hidden treasure that only those who walk the neighborhood attentively know. The neighbors will point out a mural that has been there for years and no one has touched, and another that disappeared overnight.
Another contrast: the content. In the Bronx, messages of peace, inclusion, and hope abound, which are fine but sometimes sound like official discourse. Here, the murals speak of eviction, the struggle for housing, the memory of those who left. They are more political, more visceral. So, if you come looking for art that makes you think, not just pretty photos, La Soledad will give you more.
Unedited photo gallery
Here are some images I took in July 2026, without filters or retouching. They are cell phone photos, like the ones you would take walking through the neighborhood.
- Photo 1: Baco's mural at Carrera 13a with Calle 45 at 6:30 a.m. The golden light hits the hummingbird's wings just right. You can see the peeling brick around it.
- Photo 2: Portraits of neighbors at Carrera 13 # 45-12. A cat is sitting under the mural, as if posing.
- Photo 3: Fuga's abstract piece on Calle 46. The paint is a bit blurry because it rained the night before and the water ran.
- Photo 4: The tribute to musicians at Carrera 13 # 44-30. A painted guitar has a real string hanging from it, which someone tied as a detail.
- Photo 5: The new mural at Calle 44 with Carrera 15. You can see the woman's face with closed eyes, and next to it, an empty spray can lying on the ground.
Local tips
- Wear comfortable shoes: the streets of La Soledad have potholes, broken sidewalks, and sometimes mud. It's not a high-heel neighborhood.
- Bring cash: many stores and food stalls don't accept cards. On Calle 45 there is a Banco de Bogotá ATM, but it sometimes doesn't work.
- Don't go alone at night if you don't know the area: the neighborhood is safe in general, but as in all of Bogotá, it's better to go accompanied or in a group in the early morning.
- Talk to the neighbors: they know which murals are new, who painted them, and sometimes they tell you stories that aren't on the internet. The lady at the corner store on Carrera 13 # 45-10 is a walking encyclopedia.
- Respect the art: don't scratch or paint over the murals. There is an unwritten code here: if you're not an artist from the neighborhood, don't touch what others have done.
- Share with the hashtag #SoledadUrbana: if you find a mural you like, post it on social media with that tag and tag the artist if you identify them. This helps make local work visible.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to walk through La Soledad to see the murals?
Yes, in general it is safe during the day and until 9 p.m. The neighborhood has good lighting on the main streets (Carrera 13, Calle 45) and there is people movement. At night, especially after 11 p.m., it's better to go accompanied and avoid dark alleys. The graffiti artists who paint at dawn know the area well and can give you recommendations if you find them.
Are the murals legal or are they painted without permission?
Most are painted without official permission, although some have been tolerated
