1. Graffiti and brands

A lot of brands use graffiti as a way of promoting their brand, showing creativity and uniqueness or to stand out. Some - like Obey - even emerged from the graffiti culture. Here are examples of some of the big brands, that have used graffiti in different ways.
COURTESY IMAGES.

OBEY    

BURBERRY

LOUIS VUITTON

2. Graffiti and politics

Graffiti has always been a way to speak up, call out injustice, and challenge the system. The street artist Banksy is known for taking on capitalism, war, and government surveillance in his paintings. Below is some of his work on political topics.

3. Graffiti and street art

The most commonly recognized form of graffiti is street art, which adds expressive visuals to urban landscapes in cities around the world. Below is graffiti from the street Hosier Lane in Melbourne, Australia, a destination known for its dynamic and ever-changing street art:

4. Graffiti with a message

We had the pleasure of meeting Danish graffiti artist Laurids - known as Skitsefranz on Instagram - who’s using his art to spotlight deaf culture, by painting sign language and its meanings, on walls across Denmark. He has made over 60 pieces, located around in Denmark.

I make the visuals as a form of public service. It’s public service when you create a sign and inform people about its meaning. I started doing this because I’ve been working with deaf people for five years now, and many of my friends are deaf. When I show some of the signs I’ve made on the street, they get really happy. 

From a cultural perspective, awareness of sign language is decreasing, and many people don’t know anything about it. So, this is a way to spread awareness, and I can see that when people walk past one of my pieces, they stop to practice, which makes me happy. It means I’ve made a difference, and it’s great to know that you can have an impact.

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