The Image of a Country: Representations in Street Art in Jacó and San José, Costa Rica

Street art and graffiti are global movements enjoying an increasingly amount of attention in public forums. The same can be said for Costa Rica, where the street art movement is currently thriving. Because street art is able to combine global and local experiences, it, therefore, makes every urban space unique. This thesis investigates how street art in the urban spaces of Costa Rica represents concerns of the public by analyzing murals in the cities of Jacó and San José. With the theory of activism and a close analysis of these murals, it is revealed that global themes are incorporated into the murals using local representations, furthermore, street art is a form of activism. Murals found in the tourist city of Jacó relies heavily on environmental themes, which mirror and romanticize the local nature, animals, and indigenous peoples. The street art in the capital city, San José, is, in contrast, less romanticized and more confrontational in its nature. In both cities the themes of...Show moreStreet art and graffiti are global movements enjoying an increasingly amount of attention in public forums. The same can be said for Costa Rica, where the street art movement is currently thriving. Because street art is able to combine global and local experiences, it, therefore, makes every urban space unique. This thesis investigates how street art in the urban spaces of Costa Rica represents concerns of the public by analyzing murals in the cities of Jacó and San José. With the theory of activism and a close analysis of these murals, it is revealed that global themes are incorporated into the murals using local representations, furthermore, street art is a form of activism. Murals found in the tourist city of Jacó relies heavily on environmental themes, which mirror and romanticize the local nature, animals, and indigenous peoples. The street art in the capital city, San José, is, in contrast, less romanticized and more confrontational in its nature. In both cities the themes of the murals are closely related to local experiences and perceptions of issues and concerns. Ultimately, the street art in Jacó and San José actively address concerns in two different manners giving an indication of the diversity and versatility of representations in street art in Costa Rica.Show less

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The Image of a Country: Representations in Street Art in Jacó and San José, Costa Rica