ST. LOUIS — Thousands walked along the St. Louis Riverfront over the weekend to get a look at the smallest of messages to the largest murals being painted at Paint Louis.
The annual graffiti and music festival founded in 1997 featured more than 250 artists from across the world.
"We've been embracing this [the art form] right. It does feel good to now have the outside community now seeing why we're so passionate about this," said Christian Rodriguez, an artist with the Bronx Team from Philadelphia. "We decided to come to St. Louis and create a spider theme and bring a little bit of that East Coast Flavor."
The display of art along the "Mural Mile" flood wall and musical performances paid homage to hip-hop.
"The emcee is the words of hip hop. The DJ is the sound. The B Boys is the movement. But this is visual," Rodriguez said.
The crew expressed how it was good to feel appreciated by the public for their passion seeing as though many looked down on graffiti because of its connection to vandalism and crime.
"Now look. People want it. People pay for this. It's different now. And I love that about it. We create something that everybody wants. We create something that everybody likes. Look at all the people out here. It's wonderful," said Joe Rodriguez, also with the crew. "It takes the way you know the vandalism. We're doing murals."
There were installations for kids and artists teaching them how to paint at the festival also.
Many artists expressed the importance keeping the art form alive for the future.
"It's important so we like to pass it on," Rodriguez said.
Paint Louis has continued to be a highlight of the Labor Day weekend in St. Louis.