The voice of urban artists

This art work can be found on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and it is titled "Disney War". After Bush let US Army invade Afganistan in 2001. The Stencil Street Artists of Buenos Aires began to stamp on the walls of the city this image that went around the world. Analyzing it in a denotative way we see the face of the ex US President George W. Bush, with Mickey Mouse's famous ears and the title "Disny War", in an ironic play on words. So here is an example of political protest against that war.

Here is another example of social and political protest made by the street artist Pantónio. This art work can be found on the streets of Lisboa. As we can see, this image is a canon with a pencil substituting the barrel. This image depicts an anti-war motif with not only the substitution of the barrel but with the subtle color choices of the flowers and the background giving a peaceful feel.

This graffiti clearly depicts a certain degree of paranoia. This art work is created by Obey and it can be found on the streets of Los Angeles, USA. Obey reinforces the idea that the government is in fact keeping track of us. Therefore,he is trying to warn us on how we should be careful with our actions because “big brother” is watching us. The effectiveness of the artwork is achieved thanks to the composition of it. On the one hand, we have the red color which reminds me the red of blood during war times. Moreover, the presence of the birds which are flying over the sky could mean that the city is dead.

Here is another example of social street art. The mural is created by the street artist Eine and it can be found on the streets of UK. This piece of art shows the word “Change” on a rainbow background. Here the artist wants us to change our point of view regarding homosexuality. The manner in which the artwork was created with large and crisp lettering leaves little room for misinterpretation. The font used here is very clear and with white color borders in order to express the meaning of the word clearly and with no misunderstanding.

Here is a great example of social protest. The art work is made by the street artist Bob Simmons and it can be found on the walls of Texas. By using the word "WASTER" the artist brings attention to the issue of neglect that many historic homes are facing. To make it effective and catch the passerbies attention the artista has chosen blue and white colours in order to contrast with the sandy color of the Castle. However, it is the white outline of the work that ensures the visibility of the artist's art work.

Tour Paris 13, 6eme etage, Appartement N 964 depicts an isolated child sitting in the corner of the room. The artist uses the natural walls of the room. They way that the child is painted in the intersection of the walls gives impression of three dimensionality -depth to the work- as well as a general balance in the composition of the art work. The child is painted in three colors (red, white and blue) and symbolizes the country (in this case France) as a sad isolated child. The translation of the inscription on the wall is "idiot of the family." Therefore, we can infer that the artist emphasizes nowadays society common problem among childs: the solitude and isolation of nowadays children.

We can see men painted in different colors representating the homosexual flag. They are smiling to each other in a happy and colorful environment. So here we can infer that the artist wants to express his agreement with homosexuality.

Here we can see the classic example of a political graffiti. Here we can see graffiti serving its original purpose. This s political graffiti supporting Obama. It has a very clear message, it show president Omaba’s face and then it suggest that the observer should vote for him. moreover, talking about the visual rhetoric, the artist is using the same color that Obama used in his political campaign. The effectiveness of the artist’s intention is reinforced by the angle of the artwork which is a low angle. The use of low angle infers unconsciously that Obama is a powerful man. He is depicted as a new “Jesus Crist” who will liberate us of the social problems that we are facing them. This interpretation is reinforced by the stripes that surrounds the flower which remind us like the Star who announced the birth of Jesus Christ. Finally, regarding the visual vectors we see that Obama’s gaze is towards outside the framework which emphasizes that he has big dreams that can show us if we vote for him. The representation is of the author’s individualistic ideals which spreads to the public.

Between 1975 and 1983, tens of thousands of people went missing in Argentina’s “Dirty War.” The exact number of the tortured and murdered in state-sponsored detentions is impossible to determine due to the discreetness of the disappearances and disposal of the bodies. Free speech was nonexistent; the members of the media and press who spoke out frequently became part of the missing. It was in this environment of fear that street art became a public voice, and in the decades that followed it has continued to be part of an activist culture of art, especially in Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires By painting this art piece, the artist Nazza is clearly showing his political thoughts. He is against the Dirty War which Therefore, he is using this piece of art as political report. The woman is showing us a picture of his missing son and on her T-shirt is written: Juicio y Castigo which means Justice and Punishment. This refers to her desire and the desire of all the mothers who has lost their children to find the responsibles of those who did such atrocity and put an end to their pain. The visual rhetoric is reinforced by the straightforward gaze of the woman who is looking directly to us in order to show us her indignation towards the sittuacion. And the the red color of the circle attracts our attention and that is the main message: the artist want us to read the text and emphasize with those women who are still suffering.

The message of this artwork is pretty clear: NO MORE HUNGER. The artist wants us to think about our nowadays society where we throw away so much food easily without any regret. So while in one side of the world we are doing this, in the other side there are people who are starving.

Here the artist is depicting nowadays conditions of work where the employees are seen as slaves who have to obey the employer and do whatever they order to them. They cannot protest or say anything otherwise they would be fired easily and replaced by another worker. The employees, tired of the bad conditions of work, are depicted as dejected animals who are doing a long line in order to start their job. The power of the employer is depicted by the key. The huge animal is holding the keys which could mean the freedom of the poor employees.

Another social political street art. The rat is a metaphor of the human beings, we are as small as rats. The animal is holding a placard which inside there is nothing written. This could have different meanings. First of all, it's white because maybe the artist wants the viewer to fill up the gap with their own social and political indignation. And second, maybe the artist has so many negatives things to say about the nowadays society and ways of life that if he write them down all of them, it will be endless.

The artist by painting this this colorful and stricking image wants us to think about carefully the danger of smoking. The effectiveness is accomplished thanks to mainly two elements. First all, the artist decided to label the matchbook case with the tradition skull and crossbones showing the universal sign for danger. And secondly, by incorporating the spider in he image we can infer that smoking is as bas a poisonous creature. To further this the eyes of the spider are looking at the danger sign ensuring that the viewer does not overlook the message.

Another example of anti-smoking.

The geometric perspective gives depth to this image not only showing distance or space but representing how the masses are tied to the central image. The black man is wearing the flag of Buenos Aires and he is the only one who is controlling all the people who are tied and they cannot speak out loud. This image represents how the masses blindly follow those in charge and do not have voice of their own.

Sao Paulo Street Art. The artist brings attention to parental neglect. The image portrays a child in front of a television set. The artist brings meaning to this work by adding the word Mami in a bubble above the child. By doing so the artit brings a striking message to the viewers.

It is pretty clear the message of this artwork. The artist is portraying what is happening in our daily society: all of us we are in a rush. So that is why the artist has written several times the same sentence: Hurry up to exit or hurry up to die. You don't have any choice but to hurry up.

This artist brings awaress to drug use in the area. By doing so the artist hopes to stop the use of drug in that area.The effectiveness of the artwork is conveyed by using bright colors that stand out to grab attention to this issue. He further brings depth to this issues by adding the cracks to the words and using he red as background to add more emphasis.

This piece is ironic for it states that if graffiti were to change anything, then what is currently legal, would be illegal. However, it's funny because graffiti can sometimes be viewed as vandalism, which is illegal. This piece also goes to show that although artists express their (political) views through street art, their message goes ignored. The typography is interesting for it looks similar to writing that would be in a horror film, and the rat and it's small "bloody" paw print only adds to the horror. Since the artist is Banksy, who is known for his satirical artworks, this message says that we all are living in a horror movie, for things are becoming more chaotic.

Here Bansky is trying to prove that graffiti or street art are another form of art. Therefore, he is comparing them with a traditional painter in this mural.

This graffiti named “Paz y Livertad” which literally translates to “Peace and Liberty”. The message of this graffiti is clearly expressed on the title. The artist is looking and hoping for freedom of expression and peace.

The artist like Obey he is expressing his desires of hope. Moreover, hope is something that every person tries to hold on to. No matter what part of the world you are from you can always find hope.

A very good example of political street art. It depicts a little girl attempting to fly above the wall with balloons, as if attempting an escape from her secluded world. The fact that it the bird to her left has a wing with the colors of the Palestinian flag is also emblematic of the divide between Israel and Palestine.

This piece of art depicts Emiliano Zapata. Zapata was one of the most important leader of the Mexican Revolution. Zapata was also the founder of a political ideology still found in the modern day called Zapatismo. Therefore, we can see that the artist has painted Zapata as a sign of admiration towards him.

It could be interpreted like the overreactiong of the police when it comes to demonstrations. The police is trying to arresta a teddy bear.

This mural is from the Philadelphia street art project. It illustrates all sorts of people and images throughout history. It is very vibrant and detailed, and it shows the evolution of humanity - where we've come from, and where we are. It is meant to shows how connected we are with our roots, and, how we are ultimately all "one" no matter your sexual orientation, gender, skin color, etc.

In the image we can see a form of visual narration of two parts, almost in sequence. The first half of the image the busts of two people are facing away from each other. These two people are white and black. They express an angry emotion. In the second half the people are facing to one another and they are smiling. Be in harmony with everyone no matter the skin color and avoid hatred between each other.

This artwork it depicts how we are nowadays the voters and citizens forced to vote and pretend that we like the candidate.

This image depicts what is going in on in nowadays society. The TV has a very important role in our daily lifes. The message is pretty direct thanks to the words "brain wash" which functions as anchor between text and image. The man is inside the TV screen which could mean The man's mouth is nonexistent, or replaced by the television speaker, meaning that we don't have our own thoughts, all of them are come from the TV. We are like parrots. We are repeating what we hear from the TV.

Capitalism. We are spending money so fast that we haven't even notice. We are spending money so fast that here is well depicted. For us spending money is like "throwing away rubish". That is why here the artist depicts an old lady cleaning up the "rubish".

"When I'm an adult I want to be happy". It shows our current situation. Nowadays we are so busy and stressed with our jobs or universities that we have not stopped to think wheather we are happy or not.

The children are looking at a bag of "Tesco" and they are saluting it as if it is a national flag or something. Bansky here is showing us the negative perspective of the capitalism. It seems that now consumerism and capitalism are the main goals in our lifes.

The artist here is showing his disagreement with the drugs. The meaning of the graffiti "STOP DROGAS" is "Stop drugs".

Here the artist is proclaming to have optimism in our lives.

Is pretty explicit the message of this artwork. We have to have "nuts" to face our nowadays society and try to solve our problems without hesitating it.

The water is a very precious source of food and here is very well explained through this artwork where the artist wants us to be aware of the waste of water that we are doing. While in the other part of the world, they are dying because they don't have enough water nor food.

Another artwork showing the same message: save the water. Here it depics how it would be the world -a mess and a constant fight between all the animals in order to have the last glass of water- if there is no more water.

My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love has become one of the best known works of graffiti art on the Berlin Wall