Gemma Briggs

Gemma Briggs tracks urban art's ever-growing cred and talks with the local artists behind the spray can.   Tel Aviv's street artists are giving the city personality, making it beautiful, and weirding us out as we walk down the road. They are invisible creators whose art is the most visible there is – at least, until the municipality comes along, armed with rollers and gray paint.   If you walk around the city with your eyes open, you are sure to come by some street art and, if you happen to be in the Florentin neighborhood in the south of the city, you’ll see some of the best.   We set out to find out more about the anonymous artists behind Tel Aviv's most infamous street paintings. We were surprised to discover what a mixed bunch they are – in terms of their lifestyles, attitudes and success. Some work full-time by day, turning into their spray can-shaking selves at night; some have embarked on international artistic careers; and some have ambivalent, even negative, attitudes towards traditional art galleries.   Know Hope “As a concept [street art] intrigues me. It really changed my idea of the creative process, what art is and who it is made for.”   The name-cum-request “Know Hope” is well known all over Tel Aviv. Perhaps because it’s written all over the walls of the White City. But, it is the striking character featured in his sad and beautiful images that has really made Know Hope the best-known darling of the city’s street art scene.   For the past eight years, Know Hop