Graffiti and Street Art in Venice
Graffiti and Street Art in Venice. It is a multifaceted phenomenon intertwining history, culture, artistic expression and social commentary. It has served as a unique form of expression and communication, making it an integral part of the city’s identity.
The rich tapestry of Venice’s graffiti and street art culture, blends both historical significance with contemporary artistic expression and today, reflects both local Venetian issues and wider global concerns.
This post also showcases a distinctive collection of my favourite modern Graffiti/Street Art images, highlighting both local Venetian and worldwide issues, photographed over the span of four decades.
“Graffiti” v “Street Art”: What’s The Difference?
Today in Venice, what is the local governments attitiude to graffiti?
How does Venetian street art differ from other cities?
What are some famous street art pieces in Venice?
Are there any specific street art events in Venice?
Guided Art Tours, Street Art painting and Photography workshops.
Two celebratory poems that capture the essence of Graffiti / Street Art in Venice.
A selection of my favourite modern Graffity/Street Art images.
Links (internal–external)
Modern “Graffiti” v “Street Art”: What’s The Difference?
The terms graffiti and street art have long been used interchangeably to describe this form of public art – but what should we really call them? Is there a difference?
The differences are often blurred. Artists themselves may also have varying personal definitions for the two terms based on how they prefer their work to be categorized, or even intentionally create public art installations that have characteristics of both graffiti and street art. Many street artists, were originally graffiti artists working in public spaces without permission. Street art is a modern development arising out of graffiti and is commonly a hybrid between the two forms. One of the most famous street artists today uses the alias of “Banksy”. He still acts without permission, suggesting his work is graffiti; yet he is revered! But his work is infact largely image based, with the specific intention of engaging and speaking to the general public, and the lines are quickly blurred.
Here are some of the key points:
GRAFFITI
- Origins. The graffiti we’re familiar with today, such as tagging of names for territorial delineation, first began appearing overnight on the underground subway and carriages in major cities like New York and Philadelphia, as early as the 1920s. Modern Graffiti took off in the 1960s and 1970s, It was also linked to the “hip-hop” movement, popular amongst African American and Latino communities. Created illegally, and often overnight, it contributed to the art form’s negative reputation rooted in crime, delinquency, and rebellion against authority.
- Style. It is often text-based, focusing on words, initials and tags. It tends to be on a smaller scale.
- Legality. Typically, graffiti is done without permission and many consider it vandalism. It is now illegal in Venice. The local government takes a strict stance against graffiti. They view it as a significant issue, especially given the city’s historical and cultural importance. Significant penalities are available to deter offenders.
- Purpose. It can be seen as a form of rebellion, or a way to mark territory. However, it also serves as a medium for political and social activism, especially by those that may be marginalized in society, and provides a voice for those who might not have other platforms to share their opinions.
STREET ART
- Origins. Street art emerged from the graffiti movement but developed its own identity in the mid-1970s.
- Style. Street art is more image-based and stylistically varied and may use mixed media and includes large scale murals, stencils, and free-standing installations. Many are trained artists.
- Legality. Often now created with permission, and generally legal, street art is becoming more publically accepted. May be commissioned by business and local authorities.
- Purpose: It aims to beautify urban spaces and engage with the community and to attract tourism. (Prime examples would be Venice Beach, USA and Hosier street, Melbourne, Australia; where streets or parts of a local district are turned over to public street art).
- Financialisation. Significant artists now appear in major exhibitions and private gallery spaces; gaining reputation and significant rewards.
Today in Venice, what is the local governments attitiude to graffiti?
Today, the Venice local government firmly opposes graffiti, considering it a major problem, particularly due to the city’s historical and cultural significance. Unauthorized graffiti and street art are indeed illegal and considered acts of vandalism. The penalties for such activities can be quite severe, including hefty fines up to Euro 500, community service, enforced payment for the cost of redecoration and potentially even criminal charges, depending on the extent of the damage.
To tackle graffiti, measures include consistent clean-up campaigns and efforts to foster civic duty among locals and tourists alike. The city council, for instance, has launched projects to eradicate graffiti from famed tourist sites such as St. Mark’s Square, employing environmentally friendly techniques and protective layers to simplify subsequent removals. Moreover, volunteer groups patrol to deter improper conduct, including graffiti.
These factors are increasingly pushing street art into certain defined areas of the districts of the city, helped by local initiatives and funding. However, some may consider that by controlling the the space and money to exhibit; it becomes easier for authorities to control the message!
How does Venetian Graffiti and Street Art differ from other cities?
Historical Context
Venice is commonly viewed as an intricate labyrinth of canals and architectural marvels, serving as the backdrop for countless historical events since its inception. However, one frequently neglected facet of the city’s narrative is its “graffiti”.
Originating from the Italian word of the same spelling – graffito (singular) / graffiti’ (plural) means “incised inscription(s) or design(s),” and comes from the verb “graffiare,” which means “to scratch.” While modern graffiti is often created with spray paint and marker pens, historical graffiti were etched into stonework and other surfaces or simply painted on (or by combining both techniques).
These mostly small-scale inscriptions, marks, and etchings that adorn its walls and surfaces offer a unique lens through which to view Venice, contributing significantly to the city’s urban narrative. Left over the centuries by residents of all social classes, these markings frequently evoke historical events, personal anecdotes, and societal reflections.
Venice is often regarded as the West’s inaugural multicultural city, serving as a nexus for both overland and maritime trade routes that connected the Eastern Mediterranean with Europe and North Africa. It attracted merchants and workers from various regions, including Jews, Moors, Slavs, Greeks, Germanic peoples, and from other parts of Italy. Venice endured three devastating outbreaks of the Bubonic plague in 1347-53, 1575-77, and 1630-31; each eradicating up to a third of its population and necessitating subsequent waves of immigration, to replenish its numbers. To control disease, ships, crew and cargo were quarantined on the city’s two “Lazzaretti” islands in the southern lagoon, close to the Lido. The sick and mentally ill, were also isolated in hospices on various lagoon islands. They all left their mark on the built surfaces of the historic centre and its lagoon islands.
As one becomes more attuned to the graffiti of Venice, an appreciation for the city’s complexities emerges. Venice is perceived not just as a magnificent edifice, but as a vibrant, living entity with its own story to narrate.
Recently, funding has been made available to catalogue, map and research these historic artefacts. A new book published entitled “I Graffiti di Venezia” by Alberto Toso Fei, Desi Marangon; Publisher: Lineadacqua is available. Through their comprehensive research, they shed light on the myriad narratives – both grand and intimate, that these silent testimonials convey (full details and link below).
Historical Integration
- Ancient Inscriptions: Venice’s modern graffiti and street art often incorporates or is inspired by ancient inscriptions and historical graffiti found throughout the city. This blend of old and new creates a unique dialogue between past and present.
- Architectural Influence: The city’s compact size, its building density and distinctive architecture, with its network of narrow alleys makes work more visually accessible and provides greater interaction with the public. Visitors meander through the streets, journeying not only in space but also across time.
- Canals and bridges: The extensive network of waterways offers an additional venue for engaging with the artwork. Experiencing Venice from the perspective of a boat at water level provides a different view and experience of the city.
Modern graffiti and street art
In the 20th century, especially post-World War II, modern graffiti and street art in Venice began to evolve, as a form of local political and social expression. Street artists used the city’s walls and other surfaces to comment on contemporary issues and to challenge the status quo. The 1980s and 90s, saw a move towards shared global concerns.
Modern graffiti and street art, is a unique blend of historical reverence, local activism, and artistic innovation, making it a distinctive and integral part of the city’s cultural landscape. It has several unique characteristics that set it apart from street art in other cities.
It is still widespread throughout Venice, but recent laws and significant penalties, clean-up campaigns and changing public attitudes; has certainly much reduced the level in and around the main tourist areas and on significant historic buildings. The greatest prevalence (and often the most interesting work) has always tended towards the tradtional working class areas, such as parts of Cannaregio, Castello and the narrow maze of backstreets of San Polo and the university areas of Dorsoduro with its large student population.
Certainly the scale of works, has not reached the levels and scale of artworks (murals) found in other cities, such as Venice Beach, USA; Hosier Street, Melbourne, Australia; or Berlin. Works are generally restricted to ground floor walls, boarded up windows, doors, shop sliding-metal shuttering and public utility cabinets (set in walls and free-standing). Another common location is on corners, at the intersection of streets with bridges.
With increasing funding, provision of exhibition and gallery spaces and restriction of illegal works, Venetian street art is slowly moving towards being more localised into defined areas. The trend is also to involve the local community, with significant artists collaborating on projects, that reflect the city’s collective identity and concerns; as well as the need to attract tourists and income into lesser visited areas. The Giudecca Art District, is one example.
Summarizing:
Cultural and Political Themes
- Local Issues: Venetian street art frequently addresses local issues such as excessive tourism, environmental concerns, and the preservation of the city’s heritage and its future.
- Global Perspectives: Global issues, began appearing in the 1980s / 90s and are becoming more predominant, aided by an influx of international artists who bring more diverse perspectives and styles.
Community and Accessibility
- Community Engagement: With increasing funding and provision of exhibition and gallery spaces and restriction of illegal works, Venetian street art is moving towards being more localised into defined areas. Increasingly involving the local community, artists are collaborating on projects, that reflect the city’s collective identity and concerns.
Environmental Themes
- Rising Sea Levels: Given Venice’s ongoing battle with rising sea levels, and the notion of Venice sinking; many street artists address environmental issues in their work. Artworks and installations highlight the impact of climate change on rising sea-levels, cruise ship damage to building substructures and the importance of preserving the city’s unique ecosystem.
- Light and Water: The quality of both direct and reflected light on water, is a magical feature of this lagoon city and may interact with canal-side artworks in a dynamic way.
Challenges and Adaptations
- Temporary Nature: Due to harsher lagoon environment, much of Venice’s street art is inherently temporary. Together with the authorities policies to prosecute and clean up illegal works, especially in the main tourists areas; this also adds to the impermanence of this art form.
- Durability: The variation in Venice’s climate from warm and humid, to cold and damp and cycles of acqua alta in late aurumn and winter, together with its salty environment; poses significant challenges for the longevity of street art, even with the use of waterproof paints and use of protective coatings.
- Nature of Walls: More architecturally significant buildings are constructed or faced with marble and limestone, which is resistant to water, salt and scratching; whilst the majority of buildings are made of Venetian bricks; with or without a stucco or plaster type finish. With atmospheric moisture, rising damp and periods of high water, the latter are widely susceptible to degeneration. Many ground floor buildings suffer from loss of stucco and deteriorating mortar in brickwork. Typical Venetian bricks are rich in minerals, especially iron and in moist situations grow algae; giving exposed brickwork a red apearance, which goes grey as it dries out. Ironically, the patterns of detached stucco together with the red algal growth, can give from a photographic viewpoint; great pictorial and textural effects and one of many reasons why I like to visit Venice in winter.
- Additions: Street art is often added to over time, with new painting and often the addition of posters and paper communication information, common in Venice. It is interesting going back to Venice, the following year or so, to see how things develop. Over time, the originals and additions meld into the carrier surface and produce amazing “mixed media” artworks. You can see the fascinating results in my Galleries labelled “Torn and Time” (G10, G26 and G41).
What are some famous street art pieces in Venice?
According to current online searches at the time of writing this post (September 2024), Venice boasts several “exceptional” street art pieces. Highlighting a few noteworthy ones however, provides an excellent opportunity to discover the city’s less frequented areas.
- The Migrant Child by Banksy. This mural, created by the renowned artist Banksy, depicts a migrant child wearing a life jacket and holding a smoke bomb. It appeared during the 2019 Venice Biennale and can be found on the wall of a building on the San Pantalon canal. This work is one of only two works by Banksy in Italy. The mural, was deteriorating due to humidity and acqua alta and is to be preserved, despite being illegal.” Apparently the mayoral authorities cannot restore it because it is less than 70 years old and the artist is still living; but the Venetian bank Ifis, has stepped in to fund the work, including restoration of the whole frontage of the building! I’ve seen this work covered above the child’s waist at very high tides, so Banksy needs to consult the twice daily charts next time he’s in Venice!
- “Art Can Swim”. This series by the anonymous artist “Blub”, features significant characters from history and culture; depicted underwater wearing diving masks. Blub is a Florentine street artist whose identity remains unknown.
In 2019 over Xmas week, I was photographing in Venice and came across some of his work scattered across the city. To me they were obviously a comment on climate change causing global sea-level rises and the notion of Venice, slowly sinking into the lagoon. They also may have referenced Venetian’s ability for survival and adaption over the centuries. I was unaware that his artworks were being exhibited in a gallery on the Giudecca at around that time.
They were small scale paper works, pasted onto typical Venetian service boxes recessed into walls. I was pleased to capture some of these uniqe works as they were already starting to degenerate in he cold and damp climate and some had been partially torn. I photographed them head-on and excluded the background to maximize their impact. They certainly reminded me of the transient nature of graffiti and street art, in Venice’s damp winter climate and flood tides. Strangely, few of these 2019 Venetian street images have turned up on internet photo-sites in the following years and those that have are images are not of particularly high quality.
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- The Blue Girl by Bronik. Created by Peruvian artist Bronik, this striking small-scale artwork shows a double-eyed woman (mermaid) with a Venetian gondola on her back. It’s located in Salizada San Giovanni Grisostomo.
These others I am not personally familiar with, but are highly quoted in online searches:
- The Superheroines by Lediesis. This series features well-known female personalities depicted as superheroes. In Venice, you can find murals of Frida Kahlo (Calle Molin), Maria Callas (Calle Contarini), and Peggy Guggenheim (Calle della Chiesa).
- The Lovers by Nello Petrucci. Located in a courtyard near Rialto, this mural depicts a romantic scene.
Are there any specific street art events in Venice?
Venice has some interesting initiatives to support and promote legal street art.
The project spearheaded by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Centred on the conservation and restoration of street art and dubbed “The Wallà”; it brings together an interdisciplinary team of researchers and artists to devise new methods for urban conservation and regeneration via art. Additionally, it involves the local community through public events and educational workshops, thereby increasing awareness of the cultural and artistic significance of street art.
The Giudecca Art District (GAD). It serves as a vibrant center for contemporary art, hosting regular street art exhibitions and events. It offers a good opportunity to view pieces by both local and international artists.
The 24th Annual Downtown Venice Art Classic. It is not solely dedicated to street art, yet this festival turns downtown Venice into a haven for art enthusiasts, showcasing an extensive variety of art forms, street art included.
Venice Art Biennale. While not exclusively a street art festival, the Venice Biennale is one of the most prestigious cultural events in the world. It features contemporary art, including installations and performances that often spill i”nto the streets and public spaces of Venice.
Guided Art Tours, Street Art painting and photography workshops
There are some guided tours available, that explore the city’s artistic side; including its so called “hidden gems and contemporary art scenes. If you’re interested in a specific type of art or area, many tour providers can customize the experience to suit your interests. Just search for “guided art tours in Venice, Italy”.
Here are a few more options linked below, you might find interesting:
Painting Venice: Outdoor painting courses and workshops for individuals and small groups.
A selection of my favourite Modern Graffity/Street Art images
“Art with a Message”: featuring changing local Venetian and global concerns, photographed over several decades.
“Graffiti Girl”
Modern consumerism – “I want it and I want it now!”
Above and below: “Good and Evil”
Above: “No Surragacy” (No renting a womb) – Below: “Faceless Baby Angels”
“Tears of Christ”
“Each tear brings us closer together”
“No big ship – no st*pid tourist”
“Time, paint and paper-1”
“Time, paint and paper-2”
“We love Venice’s big heart”
Here’s two celebratory poems that capture the essence of “Graffiti in Venice”:
“Whispers on Venetian Walls”
In Venice, where canals weave tales,
Graffiti whispers through the gales.
On ancient stones, their stories blend,
A multifaceted, timeless trend.
History etched in every line,
From Doge’s Palace to Rialto’s spine.
Symbols, names, and cryptic marks,
Illuminate the city’s dark.
Art and culture intertwine,
In every curve, in every sign.
A canvas vast, both old and new,
Where past and present rendezvous.
Social commentary, bold and bright,
Speaks of struggles, dreams, and light.
Voices of the common folk,
In every stroke, their spirits spoke.
Venice, a mosaic grand,
With graffiti, hand in hand.
An integral part of its soul,
A narrative that makes it whole.
“Echoes of Venice”
On bridges arching over streams,
Graffiti dances in our dreams.
A tapestry of hues and shades,
Where history and art pervades.
Venetian nights and sunlit days,
In every corner, art displays.
From grand facades to hidden nooks,
Each wall a page in countless books.
Culture’s pulse in vivid spray,
A dialogue in bold array.
Voices from the past and now,
In colours bright, they make their vow.
Social whispers, loud and clear,
In every stroke, a tale sincere.
Of love, of loss, of hope anew,
In Venice, art and life construe.
A city’s soul in painted lines,
Where every mark and symbol shines.
Graffiti, more than mere decor,
A living, breathing urban lore.
I Graffiti di Venezia’ by Alberto Toso Fei, Desi Marangon; Publisher: Lineadacqua
Venice, with its intricate network of canals and architectural marvels, has served as the backdrop to countless historical episodes. However, another layer of the city’s narrative emerges from its walls, a facet often overlooked: inscriptions, marks and etchings, known as ‘graffiti’ in Italian. These signs, whether cryptic or clear, play a crucial role in Venice’s urban dialogue.
In this book, the authors collected, mapped and investigated these marks and their significance. Through their comprehensive research, they shed light on the myriad narratives – both grand and intimate, that these silent testimonials convey. By examining these imprints, they present an alternative historiography of Venice, highlighting not just the grand events; but also the lived experiences of its inhabitants.
WEBSITE: I GRAFFITI DI VENEZIA – Alberto Toso Fei
Links (internal–external)
Using composite imagery, the photographer creates a new visualisation of the Venetian urban landscape in three posts.
Depicting Venice – Ian Coulling
Depicting Venice 2 – Ian Coulling
Depicting Venice 3 – Ian Coulling
This predominantly photographic post offers a selection of my “Characters in Stone” images, changed to a square format and processed by a sequence of techniques designed to render a more “old-fashioned” feel, consistent with the subject matter. This gives the images greater visual impact. Characters in Stone
This post presents my favourite quotes, together with a selection of photographic images, that demonstrate the interplay of direct and reflected light on the surface of water; producing wonderful and unpredictable abstract and colourful forms. Quotes about Venice
I hope my love for Venice is expressed through my photography and blog posts. To me, this unique historic city is the most beautiful and interesting place in the world. A jewel in the crown of Italy. One of unsurpassable beauty tinged with picturesque decay – giving a romantic ambience so loved by travellers, writers, poets and artists, over the centuries. Why I love Venice
Master Graffiti: A Complete Beginner’s Guide – Graffid
Graffiti and Street art in Venice Graffiti and Street art in Venice Graffiti and Street art in Venice
Graffiti and Street art in Venice Graffiti and Street art in Venice Graffiti and Street art in Venice