Street Art &amp; Activism: Blu and the Politics of Public Space

This thesis discusses street art as political and aesthetic activism that interrupts the established regimes of visibility, meaning, and authority in the public space. Moving beyond its aesthetic or subcultural aspects, street art is positioned as a mode of communication that can work on the level of discourse, perception, and spatial argument. This thesis will examine the Italian graffiti artist Blu, whose massive, unauthorized murals confront capitalism, institutional authority, social injustice, and environmental degradation, and opposes commodification and institutionalization. Through discourse analysis, the thesis discusses the role of scale, site selection, temporality, and visual distortion as rhetorical practices that change urban spaces into spaces of critical practice. The works of Blu are also interpreted as epistemic interventions, establishing the temporary conditions of counter-visibility and alternative production of knowledge, bringing out the political and ethical...Show moreThis thesis discusses street art as political and aesthetic activism that interrupts the established regimes of visibility, meaning, and authority in the public space. Moving beyond its aesthetic or subcultural aspects, street art is positioned as a mode of communication that can work on the level of discourse, perception, and spatial argument. This thesis will examine the Italian graffiti artist Blu, whose massive, unauthorized murals confront capitalism, institutional authority, social injustice, and environmental degradation, and opposes commodification and institutionalization. Through discourse analysis, the thesis discusses the role of scale, site selection, temporality, and visual distortion as rhetorical practices that change urban spaces into spaces of critical practice. The works of Blu are also interpreted as epistemic interventions, establishing the temporary conditions of counter-visibility and alternative production of knowledge, bringing out the political and ethical aspects of the public space. This thesis highlights the conflict between resistance and co-optation and demonstrates how street art can lead to thoughtfulness and challenge the prevailing urban discourses.Show less

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Street Art & Activism: Blu and the Politics of Public Space