art
11/06/2012 / SOUTH AFRICA
Welcome to Woodstock, a Cape Town neighbourhood beautified by street art
A giant cat wrapped around a window, a multi-coloured rhinoceros, a peacock bearing the names of neighbourhood children on each of its feathers… These giant works of art and many more decorate the streets of Woodstock, just east of Cape Town. And they’ve given new life to this suburb’s rundown walls. Read more...
Contributors
17/04/2012 / SYRIA
Syrian activists fight Assad regime with spray paint and stencils
Following examples set in other Arab Spring countries like Tunisia and Egypt, Syrian activists have taken to arming themselves with cans of spray paint and stencils to peacefully protest against embattled President Bashar al-Assad’s regime via a very public and artistic medium – graffiti. Read more…
13/03/2012 / EGYPT
Cairo’s street artists turn concrete walls into works of art
Even though anti-government protests have, for the moment, tapered in Egypt, the capital Cairo remains dissected by military barricades. Forced to live in communities disjointed by massive walls, a group of street artists have armed themselves with brushes and paint in an effort to transform the oppressive symbols into works of art. Read more...
Contributors
24/11/2011 / CHINA
"This is not pornography!" say nude online protesters
“Listen, Chinese Government, Nudity is Not Pornography.” Under this rallying cry, dozens of Chinese Internet users have posted naked photos of themselves online. Read more…
Contributors
21/10/2011 / IRAN
The women behind Tehran’s mysterious ‘Ladies in Red’
Every day, a woman dressed in red from head to toe stands in Tehran’s Ferdowsi Square, seemingly waiting for someone. Read more...
13/07/2011 / FRANCE
Shining a light on African leaders' 'ill-gotten gains'
Armed with a simple slide projector, a collective of artists and activists known as “Shedding a Light on Ill-Gotten Gains” are trying to draw attention to the alleged embezzled funds of African leaders, that is, assets paid for with money purportedly stolen from their countries’ public funds. Read more...
Contributors
17/06/2011 / HAITI
TeleGhetto: reporting from Haiti with an oil can and a hairbrush
Every day, three Haitian high-school students -- Alex-Louis, Jean-Pierre and Steevens -- interview their fellow residents in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Initially armed with nothing but a hairbrush standing in for a microphone and an empty can of oil for a camera, they made it their mission to paint a vivid picture of life in the Haitian capital after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Their modest start earned them the nickname “TeleGhetto”, and the three teenagers have come a long way since. Read more...
Contributors
08/06/2011 / MEXICO
‘Blood fountains’, a potent symbol of Mexico’s drug war
The scene had an almost biblical quality to it. On May 28, the waters of Mexico City’s most famous fountain turned blood-red. It was a surreal sight, but one with a very down-to-earth message: stop Mexico’s drug war. Read more...
Contributors
12/05/2011 / IVORY COAST
Vivid paintings depict months of bloody civil conflict
While many Ivorian artists fled the violent civil strife that was sparked by November’s disputed presidential elections, one painter stayed in the country, determined to express his wartime experience. Read his account…
Contributors
18/04/2011 / UKRAINE
How far is too far? Artist jailed for frying eggs on Kiev eternal flame
National pride can be a prickly subject for most artists – those who tackle it sometimes pay a high price. In Ukraine, a young artist was jailed for a performance that involved frying eggs over an eternal flame honouring fallen soldiers. Read more...
