Street Art and Politics

Painting a face on Calle 26.

It took only  a few days after the ouster of Mayor Petro, a promoter of street art, for official Bogotá to make a 90 degree policy swerve on the issue.

A few days ago, city workers erased illegally-painted graffiti painted along Calle 26, including along the walls of the underpass where several months ago Justin Bieber and his buddies infamously painted a marijuana leaf and other graffiti (which was erased the next day).

Militant Bogotá grafiteros didn't wait to respond. This weekend they were out painting new stuff along 26th - including defenses of the right to graffiti.

Ironically, the city's anti-graffiti work just provides fresh canvases for more painting.

Find a lesson in that, temporary Mayor Rafael Pardo!

A graffiti artist sits on Calle 26 above graffiti calling Bogotá's temporary designated Mayor Rafael Pardo 'illegitimate.'

Grafiteros paint along Calle 26, including a phrase demanding 'Respect for graffiti.'

Street art provides a colorful backdrop for bicyclists in Sunday's Ciclovia. 

Jorge Eliecer Gaitan.

 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours, which offers street art/graffiti tours.