Cuban Graffiti: Not Just a Pretty Picture

Never, ever underestimate the power of graffiti. I'm not talking graffiti like writing your "tag" all over the Muni windows - kids, cut that shit out. I'm talking about graffiti that sends a loud and clear message. A message of worth and significance. America is completely littered with free speech (I'm not complaining here), so maybe it's a little hard to care about what's written on our streets. But when you take a look at a place like Cuba, where voices of rebellion are kept silent, graffiti has a lot more room to make noise.

Take this piece for example:



I fell in love with this. The symbolism is obvious and the message is clever, clear, and frankly, pretty freaking beautiful. I’m thinking the character is a dictator, and the upward red arrow symbolizes communism, contrary to the wishes of the citizens or the rest of the world, represented by the black arrows. If this doesn’t represent the spirit of revolutionaries, I don’t know what does. What an awesome representation of the Cuban predicament.

And there truly is a battle on the walls of Havana’s streets.



Fidel Castro’s quotes about the Revolution are everywhere. This one: “The moral of the Revolution is as high as the stars.” Poems, slogans, propaganda easier to spot than not. Walls, billboards, and posters scream the ideals of communism, but it’s good to know that Cuban citizens, armed with some spray paint and courage, can still get out there and fight fire with fire.

Graffiti is so different from other art forms - anyone can do it! You don't need fancy equipment, a following, or a gallery behind you. You need an overpass, a building wall, a piece of concrete, some good old nighttime darkness, and anything that will leave a mark. There's hardly a barrier to entry, and most of the materials are already there. Graffiti evens the playing field - a citizen and the highest government official are equaled. Keep fighting the good fight, Cuba.