👀 Stop asking for permission
#372 | Grafitti makes everything better
Street art - as we understand it in modern times, at least - has always been about subversion and rebellion, yes? From spray-can tags on walls and (technically) illegal graffiti to commissioned murals, the art form has evolved and expanded from the subways to the galleries, from derided to internationally and artistically lauded.Â
I'm a street art geek, and most of the photos from my travels are of gorgeous, intricate murals, blink-and-you-miss-it little stencil pieces or stickers, and anything I find interesting and beautiful. Like this assortment from my trip to Germany last year -
One of my absolute favourite street art things is anti-establishment stuff, which is often actually REALLY easy to do without being caught. You can quickly paste a sticker on a pole, no problem. Or write on a wall real quick with a paint marker:
This brings me to today's Thing - the Radical Graffiti Instagram account, which collects and posts photos of anti-capitalist, anti-fascist and anti-colonial street art from around the world. They're not necessarily the most skilled or beautiful pieces, but the message always, always comes through -
Sometimes, "Fuck this thing in particular" is all you really need to say. Radical Graffiti is my way to peep into graffiti from all over the world and my daily reminder that, at its core, we haven't forgotten that street art IS still subversive and has a purpose beyond brand-sanctioned praise of Messi or whoever.Â