Street Protest Art: Powerful Images of Dissent

This archive explores the intersection of street art, graffiti, and urban art with street protest. Discover how artists utilize public spaces to express dissent, amplify marginalized voices, and document historical moments of social and political upheaval. We delve into the techniques, symbolism, and cultural impact of protest art, examining everything from iconic murals to fleeting tags. Explore the powerful narratives etched onto walls and pavements, and how art becomes a vital tool in shaping public discourse and challenging the status quo. Dive into a visual history of rebellion and resistance.

Banksy’s Antics Roadshow Online!

As already mentioned, British broadcaster Channel4 showed The Antics Roadshow by Banksy last Saturday evening! The hour-long special charted the history of behaving badly in public, from anarchists and activists to attention seeking eccentrics and was in that way a must to watch for all Banksy fans and every guerrilla art enthusiast… Narrated by Kathy Burke and produced by Jamie D’cruz, The Antics Roadshow examines the stories behind some of the most audacious stunts of recent times and what motivates the perpetrators, from mindless boredom to heartfelt political beliefs. ...

Banksy’s Antics Roadshow

All Banksy enthusiasts are able to look forward to The Antics Roadshow made by Banksy himself! This coming Saturday (August 13th, 2011), the British Channel 4 will show Banksy’s incomplete guide to total anarchy, including the greatest hits of wayward behaviour, sedition and sabotage… Basically I just thought it was a good name for a TV programme and I’ve been working back from there. (Banksy) The hour-long special charts the history of behaving badly in public, from anarchists and activists to attention seeking eccentrics, presenting for example Michael Fagan talking about breaking into the Queen’s bedroom or Noel Godin, who pioneered attacking celebrities with custard pies. ...

Shepard Fairey, Oslo Memorial

After visiting Copenhagen a few days ago, popular propaganda artist Shepard Fairey continues his Scandinavia tour and recently arrived in Oslo. To honour the victims of the terror of July 22, his staff created a huge memorial mural at Kirkeveien 59 communicating peace in bold letters! I don’t know whether it’s good being reminded of that tragedy every single day by a huge memorial, but detached from that Shepard Fairey established with that massive paste-up mural a new attraction in the city of Oslo. ...

Shepard Fairey Mural, Copenhagen

Famous propaganda artist Shepard Fairey recently visited one of my favorite European capitals and did something I didn’t suspected! After all this paste-up installations he left behind in almost every bigger city around the world, he yet again painted a massive mural in Copenhagen! Shepard Fairey and the Obey crew beautify walls in and around Copenhagen. This particular peace dove mural was their first effort and located on Jagtvej 69, 2200 Nørrebro for those in town. (Molotow) ...

Spree Parade Against Mediaspree

Yesterday, July 16th, 2011 thousands of Berliners demonstrated, danced and raved again against gentrification and especially the so-called Mediaspree project in Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg! Also Urban Artcore teamed up with the crowd to protest against rising rents, luxury new buildings on former free spaces, ruthless investors and unsocial city politics… Mediaspree is one of the largest property investment projects in Berlin. It aims to establish telecommunication, media and fashion companies as well as hotels along a section of the banks of the river Spree as well as to implement an urban renewal of the surrounding area. But that’s against the will of the citizens who don’t want Berlin’s riverside becoming a luxury glass and concrete area like in London or Paris but keep at least the last available free spaces along the Spree! ...

Art & Agenda - Political Art and Activism

Art Books | After the fantastic “Urban Interventions” book and the brilliant “History Of Uncommissioned Urban Art”, the German publishers of Gestalten are going to release the next hardcover masterwork. The topic this time: Political Art and Activism! Life has become significantly more political in the new millennium, especially in the aftermath of worldwide financial crisis. Art is both driving and documenting this upheaval. Increasingly, new visual concepts and commentaries are being used to represent and communicate emotionally charged topics, thereby bringing them onto local political and social agendas in a way far more powerful than words alone. (Gestalten) ...

Liebig14 - Berlin Squat Eviction

Squatting | With the help of axes, saws and a battering ram special forces of the German police invaded the creative living project “Liebig14”, one of the last squatted houses in Berlin. Outside, about 1,500 left-winged protesters, students and creative folks demonstrated against the eviction of the building, fought with the police and made a lot of trouble in Berlin’s creative stronghold Friedrichshain. The house was squatted in 1990, shortly after the Berlin Wall fell, when Berlin was a paradise for squatters from all over Europe because of the large number of empty buildings. For that reason it’s really pity to loose this traditional left-winged open space which was not just an alternative housing project, but also a center for alternative politics and a gravitation field for street art and other creative ideas! ...

Urban Art Censorship

Political Street Art | Right, it’s not a new topic but today I want to write down some of my thoughts about censorship in the urban arts. The reason for that decision was first the fact that the dollar-coffin mural by Blu was painted over just a couple of hours after it was completed, because of objections by a museum’s director. Second, it’s because of the fact that we have the ARTAQ Urban Art Awards in town, which is somehow supported by the Reporters Without Borders. ...

SPQR Stencil Art Exhibition

Monochromatic Shades, the stencil art exhibition by famous political stencil artist SPQR, is running for one week now at Signal Gallery in London. A few days after the opening I visited that very interesting and highly critical urban art show to take some photos… SPQR is exploring the Art of Protest/Protest Art conundrum. He looks into the ability of Art to protest about the evils of society as he sees them. Included in his line of fire is the art world itself, with is fashions and favourites and at it’s core, a hollow commercialism. Themes that recur for the artist are ‘surveillance’ culture, brainwashing media and the need for acts of defiance to counteract these ills. This is brilliantly achieved in his work, with a tough humour, which is distinctly lacking any sentimentality or soft edges. (Signal Gallery) ...

Graffiti Buffing in Gallery?!

What a great idea! As a part of the Creative Sydney festival, which was a series of free public art events, held from 5 to 13 June at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Circular Quay in Sydney, a graffiti live-buffing took place. In the center of attention was a nice graffiti mural, created by the graffiti artists Beastman, Max Berry, Numskull, Phibs and Roach… The mural was painted prior to the event and then buffed by Sydney Council during the event…to the surprise of the crowd who were expecting live art. It seems like this was a demonstration of not only the quality of Sydney/ Australia’s street and graffiti artists, but also a protest against Sydney Councils stance on public art. (verynearlyalmost.com) In my opinion this was a great action and a alternative protest, catching the attention of the media. What do you say? ...