SubSurface 2013 in Indianapolis

The annual graffiti expo SubSurface, now in its 11th year, takes place in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend and is organized by the Fantastic Aerosol Brothers.

Over the years, the event has moved around the city, from Broad Ripple to the South side of town, and this year participants took over the backs of many businesses in Fountain Square, an eclectic neighborhood just Southeast of downtown Indy.

Above and below, Cincinnati’s own Higher Level Art worked it out in the blazing heat and humidity:

Crazy In-Style Artists from East Chicago, IN:

TC-5 Crew‘s Dero and Sye from NYC:

Devious from Cincinnati:

Devious and When:

FAB Crew‘s Sacred and 6Cents [also the event organizers] painted a character from Full Metal Jacket:

Rapes of DF Crew:

Emit:

The primary intention behind this event is simply to gather like-minded folks, but it was great to see a varied crowd of on-lookers taking photos and talking to the participants.

The neighborhood of Fountain Square benefits through increased visual interest and foot traffic. Its alleys have suddenly become a vivid, pedestrian-friendly destination:

The back walls of single-story commercial buildings have been activated as well:

Rapes:

Chicago’s MadeULook:

Indy’s alternative paper Nuvo put together a great slideshow, and you can see more photos on Facebook, plus there are a couple of thoughtful articles about this year’s event: SubSurface: A Reunion and SubSurface Graffiti Expo Adds Five Walls.

For comparison, check out my photos from SubSurface 2011, when the event took place in a more isolated spot on the South side of Indianapolis, and also Art Alley in Rapid City, SD, a downtown alley filled with awesome graffiti and street art.

If you’re a fan of this type of public art, you may also want to take a look at Open Walls in Baltimore, Clarion Alley in San Francisco and Wynwood Walls in Miami.

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