In the last few years many graffiti have appeared on the walls in Bologna.
In some cases they are creative and beautiful decorations ...but more often they have nothing to do with street art and are just images or letters scratched with misterious meanings (at least for me).
Interesting enough, the first known example of "modern style" graffiti is to be found in the ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. Today graffiti are considered a form of street art and New York city and London are the cities with the greatest number of graffiti.
Personally I love the graffiti made by Bansky, an anonymous British graffiti artist, political activist, film director and painter. According to some, Bansky was born in 1974 and raised in Bristol, England, but nobody has ever seen his face (which is something really fascinating). In his "paintings" Bansky deals with political and social themes. I love what he wrote down in Wall and Peace, the book he self-published.
"Bus stops are far more interesting and useful places to have art than in museums. Graffiti has more chance of meaning something or changing stuff than anything indoors. Graffiti has been used to start revolutions, stop wars, and generally is the voice of people who aren't listened to. Graffiti is one of those few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don't come up with a picture to cure world poverty you can make somebody smile while they're having a piss."
Below are some Bansky's graffiti (all to be found in London)
If you have time, have a look at www.banksy.co.uk
Some of Bansky's most interesting works are on his website!
