The rebellion continues: Urban art as a form of protest

Join us on an exciting journey into the vibrant world of Urban Art as a powerful means of protest that cannot be silenced. Explore the various forms of urban art that continue to challenge the status quo and aim to drive social change.

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 particularly includes street art or graffiti, has developed into a vibrant and dynamic medium to express messages that deviate from the mainstream and to advocate for change. Its ability to reach a wide audience and creatively disrupt public space makes it an effective tool for protest in modern societal 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, these artists possess the unique ability to break down barriers and amplify marginalised voices.

We would like to delve deeper with this contribution and explore the nuances behind street graffiti and its impact on political movements and societal self-understanding. We examine the subcultures and codes that emerge in the world of street art and shed light on the subversive nature of this art form.

By understanding their origins and motivations, we gain insight into the true power 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 ).

Through the reclamation of public space and the questioning of societal norms, street artists bring about positive social changes that extend far beyond their artworks.

In our modern society, the relevance of contemporary street art is undeniable. Its ability to capture the spirit of our times and address pressing social issues and social injustice makes it a relevant and effective medium of protest. With the rise of social media, urban art now has a global reach, allowing artists to share their messages and connect with like-minded individuals across borders.

In a world where media corporations and their power structures often overlook marginalised communities, urban art serves as a bearer of hope and a catalyst for change for those very groups.

Join us on this exciting journey as we dive deep into the rebellious world of urban art and discover the transformative power it holds 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 its ability to go beyond traditional art spaces and reach a broader audience. It can be found on the sides of buildings, under bridges, and on abandoned lots, transforming dreary urban landscapes into vibrant and thought-provoking 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)

Trying to choose between all of Banksy's pieces for this list is nearly impossible, such is his breadth and influence. While his "Girl with Balloon" series in London is often considered his most iconic work, "The Flower Thrower" is more significant in our view due to its symbolic location and uniqueness.

If you only make the pilgrimage in your life to see a piece by Banksy, then it should be this one.

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 his Obey works, but there is no doubt that it is just as inspiring as anything else on this list.

We the Youth - Keith Haring (Philadelphia)

Keith Haring's famous pop art made waves in the early 1980s with its bold commentary and clear inspiration from New York's graffiti culture. But his most famous work is actually in the Point Breeze neighbourhood of 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.

He painted this mural in Philadelphia in 1987, which was one of the first wall murals of its kind. After months of searching for the perfect location, he managed to do it with 14 high school students. The work was based in a disadvantaged area of Philadelphia and was intended to help develop it.

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 undoubtedly the most famous street artist in the world. The anonymous Banksy has been creating artworks 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 print version, the artwork self-destructed just seconds after the auctioneer's gavel came down. This is one of the biggest art scandals and still leaves many questions unanswered to this day.

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 of street art is located in Paris near the Centre Pompidou, not far from the Church of Saint-Merri. In this self-portrait, the artist asks you to take a moment of silence to calm down and breathe, despite the bustling city that surrounds you.

Aérosol almost always uses a red arrow in his street art works. He uses it as a second signature, but has never explained its meaning. Originally, this mural was supposed to be destroyed in early 2014, but it was ultimately preserved 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 eerily childlike: Pink's version of war is a critique of the thoughtless destruction that nations (mostly) inflict 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 Concorde citizen movement and supported by HIYA, is a call to artists. Who want to create and share works that respond to the way the values of the Republic (liberty, equality, fraternity, but also secularism, the right to land, the right to asylum, women's rights, to name but a few) are deteriorating in France day by day. The action has already met with considerable resonance in graffiti and other artistic circles.

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.

Subsequently, he began drawing on various media and creating stickers. Later, these became posters, which then grew even larger and eventually 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.

As he chisels away at brick, plaster, and stone, the Portuguese artist manages to reveal highly detailed and beautiful bas-reliefs, as if they were intricately etched in bronze or ivory. Vhils often examines the harmful effects of industrialisation and development in cities around the world, portraying the unsung heroes of the modern, machine-manic climate.

PAC-Man- Invader (Bilbao)

In the late 1990s, anonymous French artist Invader his ceramic mosaics of "Space Invaders" —pixelated characters from the 1978 video game of the same name—on the streets of Paris. He expanded his roster to include Pac-Man ghosts and other popular 8-bit characters, and his works now adorn cities around the world, from Los Angeles to Kathmandu.

Invader sees himself as a "hacker" of public space, spreading a mosaic-like "virus." He believes that museums and galleries are not accessible to everyone, and therefore installs his works on public streets so that all people can enjoy them daily.

The locations for his mosaics are often chosen based on their visibility, local interest, and symbolism. No two pieces are alike.

In addition to these clandestine street art pieces, Invader has created mosaics on Plexiglas panels, plywood, and book covers. He has also created paintings, drawings, and silkscreen prints in his signature pixelated style . These works regularly sell for six-figure sums on the secondary market.

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.

Undulating colors and graphic scenes stretch across the surface of MadC's mural, symbolizing the artist's ability to combine a rigorous, academic approach with unfettered visual lyricism.

Their 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, pouring all their energy and heart 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 media attention in 2012 when he put up advertising for the nuclear industry in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. In China, he painted Google pages that were censored by the Communist Party of the country: Tiananmen Square, 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 an illustrator, graphic designer, and political activist. Fairey's art is a weapon against injustice, oppression, and violence; this has allowed him to question socio-political inequalities with his large-scale 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 showed artistic abilities as a child. While making drawings of organisms and animals in his high school biology class, he discovered his talent and began to think about a career as an artist.

As a largely self-taught artist, he attended the Siqueiros Mural Workshop in Cuernavaca in 1977 under the direction of Luis Arenal and Roberto Díaz.

During a brief visit to Chicago in 1978 to attend the international conference on community murals, Duarte was impressed by the vitality of a mural activity and a community movement. This movement transformed the Mexican neighbourhood of Pilsen. There he met 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 were involved with Casa Aztlán.

In 1985, Duarte settled permanently in the Chicago neighbourhood of Pilsen to become a full-time mural artist. With a productive artistic career, he was part of the city's significant public art scene; Duarte has created over fifty murals in public and private spaces, including in train stations.

He engaged intensively with multi-angled perspectives in the picture plane of the murals and developed a skill in creating compositions that can be viewed from different angles. Another impressive outdoor mural is the facade of his residential house and studio, where Duarte Gulliver is depicted in Wonderland.

In a second iteration on the same theme (the first mural was destroyed), a giant migrant awakens and struggles to free his body from the barbed wire that holds him. In it, the artist addresses the almost impossible journeys and lives of contemporary immigrants.

Committed to the idea that art should be fun for everyone, Duarte uses mural painting as his visual language to explore issues of struggle and survival, as well as a transnational state of the global moment. Duarte has adopted the monarch butterfly as a symbol of migration, creating a corridor between Chicago and his hometown in Mexico, thus establishing 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 thoughtfulness and creativity behind these urban art projects go beyond mere aesthetics; they aim to provoke self-reflection, highlight marginalised narratives, and foster solidarity.

Through interaction with the public in unconventional spaces, urban art successfully attracts attention and fosters empathy and understanding between communities. These examples illustrate the power of urban art to inspire activism and protest against injustices, making it a significant tool in the ongoing struggle for a more just 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.

Furthermore, street graffiti has the power to speak truth to power. It serves as a visual form of protest, allowing individuals to reclaim public spaces and challenge dominant narratives . By defying authority and elevating marginalized voices, graffiti artists can create a platform for community expression and resistance.

Street graffiti not only has the potential to influence political movements but also to shape the cultural landscape of communities. It has the ability to foster a sense of belonging and pride and to encourage collective action. By beautifying neglected areas and depicting local history, street graffiti transforms spaces into dynamic canvases that reflect the identity and desires of the community.

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.

Furthermore, street art has the potential to address the specific needs and concerns of a community and to act as a catalyst for social change and protest. By addressing issues such as social inequality, racial injustice, and environmental destruction, 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 .

Furthermore, street art can serve as an effective tool for reclaiming public spaces and questioning prevailing cultural narratives. By transforming crumbling walls, desolate alleys, and neglected spaces into vibrant canvases, street artists breathe new life into communities and instill a sense of pride, self-responsibility, and cultural identity.

With their creations, they challenge the status quo, break through conventional aesthetics, and amplify marginalised voices.