Graffiti in Italy
Graffiti in Italy has gone from personal to political in order to reflect the current economic crisis.
Graffiti has been known in Italy since the ancient Romans, who decorated the walls of Pompeii and the catacomb with declarations of love, curses and magic spells. In fact the word ‘Graffiti’ derives from the Italian word ‘graffiare’ meaning to scratch something into a surface, and people in Italy still write their passions on the walls.
Though lately – it seems to me – subject matters have changed from ‘Ti amo’ and ‘Forza La Juve’ to political statements. Could be, that graffiti in Italy has gone from personal to political in order to reflect the current economic crisis. After all, the sense of crisis has become almost palpable in the south over the past months, where out-of-work Italians have taken up begging in competition with Romas and illegal immigrants.
Graffiti seen in Taranto and other parts of Puglia
The present graffiti examples have been collected in cities from Trento in north to Lecce in the south within the last year. And there are plenty of artistic uses of both aerosol cans and stencils to cheer up the otherwise rather depressing concrete walls.
Other examples of Italian vandalism or street art – depending on your point of view:)
Several of the statements refer to the ‘no TAV’ (“Treno ad Alta Velocità”) movement that started as a protest against high-speed trains, in particular the railroads from Lyon in France to Turin. There are also a couple of juicy slogans about rebels and police uniforms. And the rather sad pollution warning, which could be seen all over Taranto a few days before the local ‘lavoro o salute’ (work or health) referendum where no one wanted to vote.
Goes to prove that you can still tell a lot about a society by reading the messages on the walls.
We are far from Banksy, but the stenciling technique is widely used.
If you are interested in Grafitti in Italy you might also like these other notes on Italian street life
I think graffiti says a lot about a place – and that’s part of the reason I signed up for a graffiti tour in Toronto at TBEX.
I’m sure you had some magnificent shots.
I’m looking forward to having you on the Graffiti in Toronto tour! Here’s a sneak peek at the tour… https://www.tourguys.ca/#!graffiti-in-toronto/c17a5
Toronto is a little outside my hemisphere, but I sure you’ve got great graffiti to show.
I always learn something new. I didn’t know Graffiti was derived from an Italian word. These are some wonderful examples of people expressing themselves through art around Italy. It’s always fascinating to stop and look at graffiti at any city.
Yes, a long as it’s not just an aggressive smearing of letters.
I’m not a graffiti connoisseur, but I enjoy learning more about it and seeing the evolution in this case from a personal to political perspective. I think it can be incredibly reflective of what’s happening at a specific time and place. Even without being able to read Italian, I can tell that this is political.
I’m not a connoisseur either, but I enjoy seeing the pieces that amount to more than vandalism.
Great article – have seen some really great stuff in Milano in between the never ending collection of scribbles
I’d love to see that, but I don’t think I’ve been to the right places in Milan yet.
I’m a fan of graffiti and street arts. Some does a real good job, although not everyone may approve them.
I like it when people make an effort. But senseless tags and obscenities can be a plague.
I tend to agree with the blue one in the firsr row.
Who wouldn’t want to be a healthy rebel:)
Barcelona has plenty of graffiti, some plain horrible and some others very artistic I must say. This graffiti here is artistic and also “looks more Italian” haha! (I’m no graffiti expert…)
Well, there’s plenty of that around here too, to be honest.
I think people who paint graffiti should have their hands cut off. No trial. No reason. Period. It is the art of the vandal and the brainless.