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Russia-Ukraine War Society

Icons Of Ukraine: Street Art Marks World’s Support For A People And A Cause

In the last 100 days, street art murals supporting Ukrainian resistance have appeared everywhere from Kyiv to Syria. Here’s a look at the most moving and powerful murals.

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Society

‘Pico Pa’ Arc de Triomphe! Defacing Other Countries’ Monuments

The outpouring of rage and resentment that erupted in last weekend’s “yellow vest” demonstrations in Paris made headlines around the world. In far-flung Chile, which has had plenty of its own experience in recent years with large-scale, anti-government demonstrations, there was keen interest in the French protesters taking umbrage with leaders who seem out of […]

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In The News

Hip Hop Wannabes, All The Way In Abu Dhabi

-Essay- ABU DHABI — For many of us, hip hop has always been more than just another music genre, a passing trend or temporary lifestyle. It’s a cultural movement with deep roots that highlight socio-economic disadvantages, an accreditation to the advancement of civil rights progress, and, in sociological terms, an ongoing challenge to the status […]

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Geopolitics Society Syria Crisis

Chronicling The Syrian War Through Art

Syria Deeply looks back at some of the history and evolution of the country’s revolutionary art over the past five years of war, including political graffiti, digital art and other mediums that have become part of the uprising’s language and culture.

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Society

In Colorful Bogota, New Mayor Shakes Up Debate On Graffiti

BOGOTA — Bogotá”s new mayor, the technocratic Enrique Peñalosa, wants to remove some of the Colombian capital’s abundant graffiti — those deemed to be “non-artistic.” But the move is being perceived by some as a reversal of the socially oriented policies of his predecessor, leftist Gustavo Petro, who essentially considered all such street art socially […]

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Society

In The Name Of Peace, Kabul Artists Beautify War-Torn Walls

KABUL — Eyes are always described as a symbol of beauty in art and eastern literature, but the two eyes painted on a wall in Kabul’s Share New neighborhood have literally beautified an ugly security wall. And in this case, eyes are used as a symbol of monitoring corruption. These “we are watching” eyes were created by the ArtLords, a group of young creatives who paint war-torn walls across the city of Kabul. “We have been facing cultural and social problems in Afghanistan, and art has never been used to solve disputes,” says the group’s leader Kabir Mokamel. “Instead force […]

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Society

A Brighter View Of Cairo, One Satellite Dish At A Time

An American artist uses pastels and polka dots to transform the Egyptian capital’s tangled rooftops.

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Society

Ruining The Ruins: Why Tourists Deface Ancient Monuments

How about a selfie instead?

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Society

Naples, The Beauty And The Horror

Luigi De Magistris, a left-leaning former prosecutor, was the latest would-be savior for the troubled Italian city. But look around, things in Naples are worse than ever.

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Society

From The Streets Of Medellin, A Graffiti Artist’s Manifesto

The troubled Colombian city has become a mecca for street art.

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Society

A Father’s Lament After Justin Bieber Graffiti Brouhaha

-Op-Ed- BOGOTA — The urge to wander the streets and feel the adrenaline rush that comes when painting on a public wall or bridge is condemned in our society, which has demonized this colorful art form and freedom of expression. This is a fundamental right — to communicate through letters and images painted on surfaces […]

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Society

Tag, You’re It! How Moscow Has Embraced Graffiti

MOSCOW — The city of Moscow is covered with graffiti, and proudly so. Members of the “Best City On Earth” project have said they will paint street art on 150 buildings by September. Meanwhile, there is graffiti at the Faces & Laces urban culture festival in Gorky Park, as well as an exhibition of a […]

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Geopolitics

The Israeli Vigilante Movement Spewing Hate In The West Bank

Cases of vandalism are multiplying against Arab villages and places of worship.

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Society

A Different Touch Of Urban Art: Graffiti For The Blind

NANTES – “Do not touch…” When she ran her fingers over this Braille inscription on the wall of the Sainte-Croix church, in the city of Nantes, western France, the young blind woman burst out laughing. After translation, her sighted friends were also won over by the irony of the artist. Working under the pseudonym The […]

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Society

The Perverse Effect Of Street Art On Neighborhood Gentrification

The most memorable graffiti and wall murals are often demolished by the force of urban real estate development projects.

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Society

When Egypt Deletes Women’s Rights Heroines From School Textbooks

Street artists spray the images of the women who have fought for equality in Egypt, from the early 20th century to the Jan. 25 uprising.

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Society

Don’t Whitewash The Revolution! Cairo Backtracks After Painting Over Iconic Graffiti

AL MASRY AL YOUM, MASRAWY (Egypt) Worldcrunch CAIRO – Social networks bristled with rage last week when city workers in the capital began painting over graffiti near Tahrir Square, including some iconic images and writings commemorating the 2011 Revolution. Now Cairo’s mayor Osama Kamel has conceded that the clean-up of the walls of Mohamed Mahmoud […]

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