The rebellion continues: Urban Art as a form of protest

Accompany us on an exciting journey into the living world of Urban Art as a powerful protest, which cannot be silenced. Explore the different forms of expression of urban art that still want to challenge the status quo and to initiate social changes.

From breathtaking murals to thinking about thinking - experience the visual revolution and discover the transformative power of urban art in our society.

The power of urban art as a form of protest

Urban art, which street art or graffiti in particular, has developed into a lively and dynamic medium to express messages that deviate from the mainstream and to work for changes. Their ability to reach a wide audience and creatively disturb the public space makes it an effective protest instrument in the modern social architecture.

In the course of recent history, we have seen numerous examples of how urban art was used to initiate social changes. From the iconic Guerilla artwork from Banksy to the powerful murals from Keith Haring, urban artists have opposed systems established and suggested discussions about pressing problems.

By infiltrating urban landscapes and interacting with communities (communities), these artists have the unique ability to reduce barriers and increase marginalized votes .

We want to go deeper with this article and research the subtleties behind street graffiti and their effects on political movements and social understanding of the elbow. We examine the subcultures and codes that arise in the world of street art and shed light on the subversive nature of this art form.

By understanding their origins and motives, we gain insight into the real strength behind the spray can.

We will also examine the cultural response of street art and its role in the design of communities. Urban art has the ability to transform neglected districts into living centers of creativity and to promote a feeling of pride and identity among the residents (see "Huzur Project" with the Urban Nation Museum and the Berlin Tape Art SelfMadecrew ).

Due to the reconquest of public space and the questioning of social norms, street artists cause positive social changes that extend far beyond their works of art.

In our modern society, the relevance of contemporary street art cannot be overlooked. Their ability to capture the zeitgeist of our time and address urgent social problems and social injustice makes it a relevant and effective protest medium. With the advent of social media, urban art now has a global range that enables artists to share their messages and to get in touch with like -minded people across borders.

In a world, in which media companies and their power structures often ignore marginalized communities, urban art serves as hope and catalyst for changes.

Accompany us on this exciting journey, while we immerse yourself deep into the rebellious world of urban art and discover the transformative strength that it has in our society.

What is urban art? A short definition

Urban art includes a number of creative practices, including murals (so -called Murals), stencils (stencils), stickers / stickers, adhesive tape and installations . Urbane art is based on marginalization and basic activism , and about traditional ideas of art in question and democratized public spaces.

Urban Art , also called Street Art, is an artistic form of expression that takes place in urban environments. Urban art is deeply rooted in the cultural and social structure of a city and often serves as a platform for marginalized voices.

What distinguishes Urban Art is their ability to go beyond traditional art spaces and to address a wider audience. It can be found on the sides of buildings, under bridges and on abandoned land and transforms dreary urban landscapes into lively and reflective works of art.

Through her bold pictures, powerful messages and sometimes controversial topics, Urban Art in question and offers an alternative story about the prevailing ideologies.

It promotes dialogue, stimulates conversations and triggers social change.

In the context of the protest, urban art has played a crucial role in reinforcing basic movements , giving them a voice that feels unheard and to emphasize systemic injustices . It represents the rebellious spirit and the power of creativity in the face of adversity. Urban Art is therefore not just a form of artistic expression; It is an effective instrument to question the established order and to demand a fairer society.

Significant examples of urban art

The Flower Thrower - Banksy (West Jordanland)

The attempt to choose between all Banksy pieces for this list is almost impossible, so large is its range and its influence. While his “Girl with Balloon” series in London is often considered his most iconic work, “The Flower Thrower” is more important due to its symbolic location and uniqueness.

If you only take the pilgrimage in your life to see a piece of Banksy, it should be.

Nelson-Mandela-Mural -Shepard Fairey (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Shepard Fairey's long and glamorous career built up on his famous Obey campaign designing Barack Obama's famous "Hope" posters In 2014 he created this incredible murals in the largest city in South Africa as a homage to her most famous leader.

It may not have the subversive attitude of its Obey works, but there is no doubt that it is as inspiring as everything else on this list.

We the Youth - Keith Haring (Philadelphia)

Keith Harings famous pop art caused a stir in the early 1980s with his daring comments and his clear inspiration from the New York graffiti culture. But his most famous work is actually located in the Point Breeze district in Philadelphia.

Keith Haring started his career at the side of Jean-Michel Basquiat . In 1988 he was diagnosed with HIV-positive and he decided to run his struggle through art. In his work, he fights against drugs, AIDS and many other adversities.

In 1987 he painted this murals in Philadelphia, which was one of the first Wall Mural of its kind. After searching for the perfect place for several months, he did it together with 14 high school students. The work was located in a disadvantaged urban area of ​​Philadelphias and should promote its development.

This was originally a placeholder for "We The People" , but the piece is now part of his landscape and attracts tourists from all over the world.

The Little Girl with the Balloon - Banksy (London)

He is undisputedly the most famous street artist in the world. Anonymous Banksy has been creating works of art around the world for more than 23 years.

In 2002 he created another of his most famous works in London, "The Little Girl with a Balloon" . This little girl in a black dress lets her balloon fly away, and Banksy writes next to the keyword "there is always hope" . It is his way of saying that we should never give up, even if everything seems to be the worst.

In 2018, during an auction for the screen printing version, the work destroyed itself a few seconds after the auctioneer's hammer strike. This is one of the largest art scandals and still leaves many questions unanswered.

My God, Help Me To Survive This Deadly Love - Dmitri Vrubel (Berlin Wall)

In Germany you will also find what you are looking for in search of meaningful murals. Vrubel's murals are an interpretation of a photo that was taken in 1979 on the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the German Democratic Republic (GDR).

The kiss itself was not meant romantically, but a "brother kiss" , a then popular socialist greeting. The men in the photo are Leonid Brezhnev , the Secretary General of the Soviet Union, and Erich Honecker , the Secretary General of the Socialist Unity Party of the GDR.

The “deadly love” to which Vrubel refers could be the ten -year military agreement concluded by the two states, which provided the delivery of chemical weapons to the Soviet Union. This wall painting is not only a symbol for the Berlin Wall , but also for the city itself.

Hush! - Jef Aérosol (Paris)

Jef Aérosol-with a bourgeois name Jean-François Perroy-is one of the pioneers of French Street Art . His work is known worldwide, including this huge template entitled "Hush!", Which was created in 2011.

This iconic piece Street Art is located in Paris near the Center Pompidou, not far from the Saint-Merri church. In this self -portrait, the artist asks her to treat herself a moment of silence to come to rest despite the busy city that surrounds it.

Aérosol almost always uses a red arrow in its street art. He uses them as a second signature, but has never explained their meaning. This mural should actually be destroyed in early 2014, but it was ultimately kept intact and is now an iconic piece of Parisian street art.

Faith in Women - Lady Pink (Minneapolis, USA)

The Lady Pink, born in Ecuador and grew up in Queens, is one of the few artists who breaks through the Androentric form of street art celebrates the female figure in its murals .

Pinks folkloric goddesses not only serve to embody their South American roots and lively imagination, but also convey a profound political intention. Faith in Women researches a somewhat feminized version of the war; Where a baby boss tanker casually runs over an unsuspecting rabbit and dozens of unsuspecting skulls gather under a bright rainbow made of colors.

Chaotic, anarchic, turbulent and yet incredibly childish: Pink's version of the war is a criticism of the thoughtless destruction, which nations (mostly) is added by human hands.

Inside out / time is now, yalla! - JR (Israel / Palestine)

JR is one of the leading contemporary French street artists. His work can be seen in cities around the world in public space. His work revolves around several central topics, including commitment, freedom and identity.

The work Inside Out/Time is now, Yalla! Equipped in 2011. For this extensive, interactive piece, Palestinians and Israelis were invited to a portrait recording and received a large-format black and white portrait that they could attach in any place. This public installation demands social justice and shows a solution that will bring peace and prosperity.

Nobody Likes Me - iheart (Vancouver, Canada)

Iheart is a Canadian street artist , whose work is just as puzzling as that of Banksy. Iheart uses graffiti to express his opinion on social issues with simple but moving pictures. He describes himself as "just a boy with ideas, opinions and a lot of aerosol."

His work can be found in large cities of Canada like Vancouver and Calgary as well as in other major cities around the world. This work entitled Nobody Likes Me underlines the negative influence that social media have on adolescents. It shows a crying child because there is no likes, no mentions and no followers on Instagram. Ironically, this article went viral on social media and was even shared by Banksy.

 

Etnias - Eduardo Kobra (Rio de Janeiro)

Kobra is one of the most famous wall painters in the world. The artist originally from São Paulo creates street art paintings on walls in Spain, France, India and many other countries.

In 2016, on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Rio, Kobra broke the record for the world's largest murals "Etnias" It is 190 meters long and 15 meters high. This means that a total of 3,000 square meters have to be deleted. For this, 1,000 pots of white color, 1,500 liters of color color, 3,500 doses aerosol spray and 40 days of work were required.

The painting shows five faces of different origins that represent the five Olympic rings and the five continents. With his work, Kobra wanted to convey the following message: "We are all one thing: humanity."

 

Marianne (Pleure) - Shepard Fairey (Paris)

"Marianne" was painted by Shepard Fairey alias Obey and was originally a tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015. Liberté, egalité, fraternité - the artist wanted to refer to these three values ​​of the French people, which he considers to be a necessary basis for every democratic society.

The woman in the middle of the painting is Marianne - the allegory of the Republic. Interestingly, the picture itself was inspired by a popular ornament that was used in the print shop during the Belle Époque.

In the night of December 13th, a group of Vandal changed the murals. The three words of the motto were crossed out with large white color splashes and the red blood tears appeared all over Marianne's face. The hashtag #Mariannepleure (Marianne Weits) was added together with a reference to the magazine Hiya , which received the encrypted message from the authors shortly after the event.

The Mystery crew shared photos that document their intervention together with the manifesto and later a short video clip that you can find here.

This hashtag proposed by the Citizen Movement Concorde and funded by Hiya is a call to artists. Who are close to the heart of creating and sharing works that react in the way the values ​​of the republic (freedom, equality, equality, brotherhood, but also secularism, the right to soil, the right to asylum, women's rights, to name just a few) in France, the action has already been resonance in graffiti and other artists.

The creator of the murals reacted quickly and expressed his full support to the demonstrators:

I stand on the side of the people who protest against injustice. So when the statement is meant, I understand that. I think that the French slogan Liberté, Égalité, fraternité is really nice if it manifests itself in the positive way I would like to see.

Freedom, equality and fraternity are principles for which I am committed to my art and my activism and that in my opinion should be obvious to everyone who looks at my story with messages of peace and harmony, respect for the planet and respect for people of all breeds and backgrounds.

It is these ideas that I drive in my art and which I would like to see in France, the USA and all over the world. If some people feel that the Liberté artwork, egalité, fraternité was hijacked by people with whom they do not agree, then my answer is: I am not ready to give it to them. "

- Shepard Fairey -

Then the murals were renewed. The three values ​​remained, but a small detail was changed.

I wrote Marianne a tear in the face. And produced a new screen print in a limited edition, the total profit of which benefits the poorest person. Deeds are more important than words ”,

expressed Obey in an official explanation.

His studio produced 650 prints. The profit from the sale went to the association Les Restos du Cœur .

The following Insta-Post shows a review of a photo of the Street Art Artist, as he worked on a murals in Dallas, Texas, Texas. "Rise Above Rebel" shows a woman who looks up, and on the left of her is "rise above" . Women are generally not the originators of violence in the world and in our society, so Fairey likes to work on portraits of women's figures as symbols of peaceful resistance.

The idea of ​​raising yourself through the oppression, instead of the bad things that happen in the world, let the soul crush, and find a way, overcome it and being positive is not always easy. "

so fairy in his post.

Love Won't Tear Us Apart - D*Face (Paris, 2017)

Dean Stockton , also known as D*Face , is an English pop art artist who was born in the early 1980s. In order to counteract boredom, he first drew figures on paper. Over time, his little drawings became his passion.

Then he started drawing on various media and creating stickers. Later, it became posters, which then grew even larger and finally hung on the walls of Paris.

In 2017 he created a street art fresco in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, which he "Love Won't Tear Us Apart" . D*Face paints a couple to symbolize love. The man with the skull face embodies the old relationships that are no longer in our life, but still very present in our thoughts.

The man and the boat - Vhils (Lisbon)

The city landscape is really the canvas of Alexandre Farto (Vhils) , but instead of a spray can, a protective helmet and a respiratory protection mask are the preferred tools from Vhils.

While he cuts out bricks, plaster and stone, the Portuguese artist manages to expose very detailed and beautiful Basreliefs as if they were elaborately etched in bronze or ivory. Vhils often examines the harmful consequences of industrialization and development in cities around the world and represents the unsung heroes of the modern, machine -manic climate.

PAC-Man- Invader (Bilbao)

In the late 1990s, the anonymous French artist Invader began to cement and stick pixelated characters from the 1978 video game of the same name from Paris . He expanded his list to include PAC-Man spirits and other popular 8-bit characters, and his works are now decorating cities around the world, from Los Angeles to Kathmandu.

Invader sees itself as a “hacker” of public space that spreads a mosaic “virus”. He believes that museums and galleries are not accessible to everyone, and therefore installs his work on the public roads so that all people can enjoy them every day.

The places for its mosaics are often selected because of their visibility, their local interest and their symbolism. No two pieces are the same.

In addition to these secret road artwork, Invader has produced mosaics on plexiglass plates, plywood and book covers. He also created paintings, drawings and screen prints in his characteristic pixelated style. On the secondary market, these works are regularly sold for six -digit amounts.

In 2019, astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti brought one of Invader's works to the international space station, about 248 miles above the earth.

Invader has now exhibited internationally, including in Los Angeles, Paris, Brussels and Hong Kong.

700 Wall - Madc (Berlin)

The German artist Claudia Walde (MADC) combines her formal artistic training with street art and rewrites contemporary urban art.

The simple title "700 Wall" refers to the 700 square meters that your masterpiece takes and can be seen on the railway line between Berlin and Halle.

Wavy colors and graphic scenes stretch over the surface of Madcs murals. They are a symbol of the artist's ability to combine a conscientious, academic approach with an unrestricted visual poetry.

Her stylemachine idea is based on the life of a passionate graffiti sprayer. It is a wall for all those street artists who have been painting for over 10 years and put all their energy and passion into their work.

Coexist - Combo (Paris)

Combo was born the son of a Lebanese Christian father and a Moroccan Muslim mother and started his career as an artist at the age of 16.

He first attracted the attention of the media in 2012 when he applied advertising for the nuclear industry in the Chernobyl zone. In China he painted Google pages that were censored by the country's communist party: the place of heavenly peace, the arrest of Ai Weiwei, etc.

He also worked with the feminist group Femen . On the day of the Bastille in 2013, he painted a huge reinterpretation of Delacroix 'painting "Freedom leads the people" and inserted women instead of the Jacobin women who marched towards freedom.

He also made street art in Beirut and called her Jih-Art , where it says in one of his works: "Less Hamas, more hummus."

In 2015 he was inspired by a Polish logo of the designer Piotr Mlodoceniec : Coexist .

Coexist is illustrated by various religious symbols : the crescent moon, the David star and the Christian cross. This street art demands tolerance and respect for all faiths. Since the attacks against Charlie Hebdo, Combo has been exhibiting his art in the streets of Paris. Unfortunately, he was already assaulted in the creation of his art.

Make art was not - Shepard Fairey (Berlin)

Shepard Fairey is undoubtedly one of the most influential street artists, but also illustrator, graphic designer and political activist. Fairey's art is a weapon against injustice, oppression and violence; This enabled him to question socio -political inequalities with his large -format murals.

"Make Art Not War" not only addresses the bloodbath of the war, but also the play on play also reveals the only feeling that is strong enough to set the fire; Love.

 

Ice-Cream Dream / Sueño de Un Carrito de Paletas -Héctor Duarte (Chicago, 2004)

A remarkable example is the iconic mural in the Pilsen district of Chicago, which was created Héctor Duarte This murals are the struggles and the resistance of the Mexican community and strongly reminds of the need for social justice and equality.

Héctor Duarte was born in 1952 in Caurio de Guadalupe, Michoacán, Mexico, and already showed artistic skills as a child. While he made drawings of organisms and animals in his biology lessons at the high school, he discovered his talent and began to think about a career as an artist.

Most of the autodidactic artists visited the Siqueiros Mural Workshop in Cuernavaca under the direction of Luis Arenal and Roberto Díaz in 1977.

During a short visit to Chicago in 1978 to take part in the international conference on municipal wall paintings, Duarte was impressed by the vitality of a wall painting activity and a joint movement. This movement changed the Mexican district Pilsen, but he met the Chicano artists Ray Vasquez, Luis Aguirre, Marcos Raya, Aurelio Diaz, Oscar Moya, José Guerrero, José González, Alejandro Romero, Carlos Moth, Salvador vega and others. These artists had to do with Casa Aztlán.

In 1985, Duarte settled in the Pilsen district of Chicago to become a full-time Mural artist. With a productive artistic career, he was part of the city's important public art scene; Duarte has carried out over fifty murals in public and private rooms, including in train stations.

He dealt intensively with multi -angle perspectives in the image level of the murals and achieved a skill in the design of compositions that can be viewed from different perspectives. Another impressive murals outdoors is the facade of his house and studio, where duarte Gulliver is in the Wonderland.

In a second repetition on the same topic (the first mural was destroyed), a huge migrant awakens and fights to free his body from the bar wires that hold him up. In it, the artist addresses the almost impossible trips and life of contemporary immigrants.

The idea obliges that art have to be fun for everyone, Duarte uses wall painting as his visual language, to examine questions of the fight and survival as well as a transnational state of the global moment. Duarte took over the monarchfalter as a symbol of migration and created a corridor between Chicago and his hometown in Mexico, creating one of the most impressive transnational art corridors.

He painted the walls of buildings around the Plaza de Caurio. He also invited artists from the USA, Mexico and Europe to submit butterflies that were once attached to the walls and served as true protagonists of a process of circular migration.

Don't shoot - Bambi (Rivington Street, London)

This last work was created by a woman, the famous British artist with the nickname Bambi . She was born in the 1980s and began painting graffiti in the streets of London. They are secretly called "the female banky" .

It also creates stencils that denounce different forms of injustice. In her works, she presents contemporary personalities such as Donald Trump or Amy Winehouse.

Her most famous work is that of five boys who are identically depicted side by side and raise the hand. Instead of the balloons that should be under their feet, there are skulls there. Bambi decided to write "Don't Shoot" Significantly, the boys carry t-shirts with the Nike logo "Don't do it" . This work that displeased the Nike brand should be against police violence.

The complexity behind street graffiti and their effects on political movements

The consideration and creativity behind these urban art projects go beyond mere aesthetics; They aim to provoke self -observation, to highlight marginalized narratives and to promote solidarity.

Due to the interaction with the public in unconventional rooms, urban art successfully attracts attention and promotes empathy and understanding between the communities. These examples illustrate the power of urban art, activism and protest against injustices and to make them an important instrument in the perpetual struggle for a fairer society.

Understanding the subtleties behind street graffiti is crucial to understand their effects on political movements.

Due to bright colors, brave messages and reflective pictures, street graffiti attract the attention of passers -by, stimulate discussions and question the status quo.

What distinguishes street graffiti is their accessibility and its ability to reach a diverse audience. Due to the presentation of political messages in public spaces, graffiti artists can handle traditional communication channels and in the public . This can have profound effects on political movements, since it enables individuals to deal with social and political issues that otherwise would be ignored or silenced.

In addition, street graffiti have the power to tell the powerful the truth. It serves as a visual form of protest and enables individuals to recapture public spaces and to question the prevailing narratives . By resisting the authority and highlighting marginalized voices, graffiti artists can create a platform for joint expression and resistance.

Road graffiti not only has the potential to influence political movements, but also to shape the cultural landscape of communities. It has the ability to promote a feeling of belonging and pride and to stimulate collective action. Due to the beautification of neglected areas and the representation of the local history, street graffiti transform spaces into dynamic canvases, which the identity and wishes of the community against mirrors n.

Cultural response from Street Art and their role in the design of communities

Street art, especially in the form of graffiti , has long been a strong force in the design of communities and the promotion of cultural response. His presence in urban environments often serves as a visual representation of the local identity and expression of the collective spirit of its inhabitants.

Street Art crosses the borders of traditional art institutions and establishes a direct connection with the community and integrates people who normally do not deal with more traditional art forms. Through lively murals, stimulating stencils and professionally executed works, Street Art has the ability to attract passers -by's attention and to stimulate discussions.

Road art also has the potential to respond to the specific needs and concerns of a community and to act as a catalyst for social change and protest. By dealing with topics such as social inequality, racial justice and environmental degradation, street artists create a platform for open dialogue and reflection.

The accessibility of street art encourages people with a different background to deal with these topics and promotes the feeling of common responsibility for creating a fairer society .

Road art can also serve as an effective instrument to recapture public spaces and to question prevailing cultural narratives. By transforming street artists dilapidated walls, barren alleys and neglected rooms into living canvases, they breathe new life and convey a feeling of pride, personal responsibility and cultural identity.

With their creations they question the status quo, break through conventional aestheticisms and reinforce marginalized voices.