Graffiti on the streets of Helsinki

Mick LaRock and Blade at Baana, Helsinki, 2018
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Graffiti artist and gallerist Umut Kiukas reveals how to find graffiti art in its most genuine environment on the streets of Helsinki.

OsGemeos x EGS @ Baana

OsGemeos (The Twins) are two of the world’s most famous street artists. The graffiti they created together with EGS from Helsinki is an absolute “must see”. You can find it on the Baana, the pedestrian and bicycle corridor that bisects the city centre. The graffiti is a tribute to the late Finnish graffiti artists Riski and Astron.
Baana (Arkadiankatu), coordinates: 60.170836, 24.931610

Blade x Mickey @ Baana

In April 2018, the legendary Blade from New York and groundbreaking European graffiti artist Mickey added some traditional graffiti to the pedestrian and bicycle corridor Baana. Both artists have achieved something unbelievable in the field of graffiti. Blade was one of the most famous graffiti artists in the early days, and he remains one of the all-time purists. Mickey in turn is one of the first female graffiti artists in Europe. She has really shown the way for numerous women and men in this male-dominated field.
Baana (Antinkatu), coordinates: 60.170436, 24.930355

Street art at Baana
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Kulosaari noise barrier

The noise barrier by the highway in Kulosaari that was brilliantly painted in 1991 was destroyed when it was whitewashed by an anti-graffiti campaign. Since then it has regained its impressive street art with new graffiti by internationally renowned artists Trama, Comedy, Paris and many more. Viewing the noise barrier is easy: simply hop on the metro to Herttoniemi and look out the windows to the right.
Between the Kulosaari and Herttoniemi metro stations

Malminkartano train station

An impressive 460-metre section of the tunnel at the Malminkartano train station has been painted by Finnish artists. The art includes not only graffiti and street art but also traditional murals. You can get off at the station to view the art on your way to Helsinki Airport.
Malminkartano train station

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Koskelantie underpass

Six well-known old-school Finnish graffiti artists painted the Koskelantie underpass back in 2019. The graffiti was begun by Bark, Dabi, Raymond, Trama and Skene, all of whom started their graffiti careers already in the late-1980s. They were joined by Deos, who too up graffiti art a little later and painted a section of the underpass. Both walls of the underpass are painted along its entire length.
Koskelantie underpass, coordinates: 
60.216502, 24.971875

Herttoniemi – Itäväylä underpass

The “Atomic War” tunnel under the Itäväylä highway in East Helsinki was repainted during the Herttoniemi Blockparty in 2016. The iconic graffiti art “Atomic War” was remade, and numerous local artists added their own touches to the underpass.
Itäväylä underpass at the Konemestarinkatu end, coordinates: 60.199307, 25.037318

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Perttu Häkkinen memorial graffiti

Back in 2018, a group of anonymous artists painted a memorial to Perttu Häkkinen, a journalist from Laajasalo who played a big role in the area’s cultural life. Spanning the entire length of a bridge, the graffiti has remained in good condition and can be seen up close or from the opposite shore.
Under Laajasalo bridge, coordinates: 
60.186198, 25.043678

Suvilahti graffiti wall

Suvilahti is a cultural centre on the grounds of a former power plant where you can admire graffiti art on the official graffiti wall, as well as around the skatepark, the Happi Youth Centre and the stairwells. You can also find other graffiti art by exploring further the Sompasaari district. Suvilahti is a great place to see graffiti artists at work, especially in summertime. You can also view the exhibitions at the Make Your Mark Garage / Gallery, which also sells supplies if you want to create your own street art.
Kaasutehtaankatu 1, Suvilahti

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Keran hallit logistics centre

The former logistics centre in Kera, Espoo, is full of graffiti and street art. New works are being painted indoors this April, and they can be viewed during events or when the premises are open. The buildings are scheduled for demolition in October 2021.
Karamalmintie 2, Espoo

 

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Graffiti artist and gallerist Umut Kiukas reveals how to find graffiti art in its most genuine environment on the streets of Helsinki.