An era in which images, rather than words, are used as vehicles of messages and ideas, street art, which was conceived as a form of protest in the 1960s, is the art form that most is most effective in expressing complex content immediately, becoming a workshop for teaching people not only about contemporary culture but also about politics.
The ebook and documentaries, ‘Art and Politics: The Streets of Rome’, produced in collaboration with the Istituto Affari Internazionali, aim to contextualize the message of Italian street art within a broader political analysis, investigating four major themes.
Street Art and Democracy
In a world in which there are increasing opportunities to access different sources of data and news, the spread of fake news used to discredit and denigrate institutions is a threat to democracy and a breach of the right to information.
Under these circumstances, is it perhaps necessary to launch actual campaigns against misinformation by introducing more stringent rules? However, how can we protect freedom of expression and thought, which form the basis of a functioning democracy and human rights, if we impose restrictions on what can be disseminated?
- ‘Le sfide della democrazia odierna dopo la crisi dell’egemonia americana‘ (The Challenges Facing Democracy Today After the Crisis of American Hegemony). Analysis by Nathalie Tocci and artwork by Manu Invisible.
- ‘Il problema dell’accesso alla conoscenza e le ricadute della sua mancanza nella formazione di un sistema democratico sostanziale‘ (The Problem of Accessing Knowledge and the Repercussions of its Absence in the Formation of a Substantive Democratic System). Analysis by Piero Tortola and artwork Hulk seduto by SOLO.
Street Art and Climate Change
From Greta Thunberg to Fridays for Future, the issue of climate change has not only given young people around the world a voice, but more importantly it has united their voices. Climate change is indeed a global issue, in a historical time in which the very concept of globalisation is often opposed as the cause of social inequality and economic malaise. Could the issue of climate change be a topic that gives new impetus to the idea of a world that is liberal and free, but at the same time inclusive and fair?
- ‘Stili di vita sostenibili come stimolo al progresso sociale‘ (Sustainable Lifestyles as a Driver of Social Progress). Analysis by Luca Franza and artwork Hunting Pollution by Iena Cruz.
- ‘L’impegno collettivo per contrastare il cambiamento climatico nei movimenti come i FridaysForFuture‘ (Collective Effort to Combat Climate Change in Movements such as FridaysForFuture). Analysis by Eleonora Poli and artworks by Jerico.
Street Art and Gender
From the 1960s to the present day, with the creation of the #MeToo movement, gender equality has become an increasingly important issue of social debate.
Despite the broad awareness of the issue and the increasing numbers of female leaders, why is the gender issue still so widespread? Is the gender issue perhaps veiled by the improper use of ‘pink quotas’? Introduced to protect women’s rights, are they now often used for the purposes of ‘pink washin’”, i.e. to clear people’s consciences? What corrections need to be made to achieve an inclusive and lasting gender policy?
- ‘Isolamento sociale e problematiche di genere: le famiglie monoparentali‘ (Social Isolation and Gender Issues: Single Parent Families). Analysis by Fabrizio Botti and artwork Wonder Woman by SOLO.
- ‘Donne e cittadinanza attiva‘ (Women and Active Citizenship). Analysis by Irene Fellin and murals by Alice Pasquini.
Street Art and Identity
In today’s world, those who oppose globalisation complain not only of negative social and economic externalities, but also of a continuing loss of local culture and individual identity. The question of identity is once again becoming central in the analysis of international political trends, especially in the face of the migration crisis affecting Italy and the Mediterranean. In a globalized world, what kind of identities do societies aspire to? Is it still realistic to think of a model of glocal identities, in which globalization and localism coexist in harmony?
- ‘Identità come sovrapposizione di diversi modelli sociali, culturali e geografici‘ (Identity as the Overlapping of Different Social, Cultural and Geographical models). Analysis by Nicoletta Pirozzi and artwork Hic Sunt Diamond by Diamond.
- ‘LGBT Identity.’ Analysis by Carlo d’Ippolito and work Outside In by JDL.
