One of the reasons that I love this city is that the art scene cannot be contained to just galleries and shops, it literally spreads to the street. I'm not a big fan of mindless tags, but I love the thoughtful, beautiful , and mostly colorful large pieces that can be found all over town. Many of these are done legally, commissioned by building owners looking to add a splash of color to an otherwise boring backdrop. This is not considered graffiti or vandalism, but "street art".
While I am sometimes sad to see certain pieces painted over, I do love how the street art is an ever-evolving creature, and you are never sure how long one display will last. When I moved back to town after being gone for four years, many cherished pieces had vanished, replaced by other displays, some just as awesome. I'm having a fun time spotting the new street art as we explore Albuquerque.
We spotted these chickens and their gal today in Nob Hill, just outside of one of our favorite shops. Night had already fallen, so i wan't able to get a great shot, but I was able to capture how large it was.