graffiti – Generation Change

Express yourself with color

mueserk — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 13:52:49 +0000

Graffiti has a bad name. It’s often associated with vandalism, out-of-control youth and illegal tags in seedy places.

But for 23-year-old Daria Andert, graffiti can also be an important way for young people to express themselves and connect with their “inner artist.”

The art student from Cologne volunteers with a graffiti project called MittwochsMaler (Wednesday Painters), which holds drawing workshops, and helps aspiring sprayers practice graffiti on a legal wall.

Daria is hoping to deter illegal tagging, and show society graffiti artists shouldn’t be painted with the same brush as vandals.

Listen to the report by Natalie Muller in Cologne:

http://blogs.dw.com/generationchange/files/Express-yourself-with-color1.mp3

Daria Andert see street art as a way to make a difference (Photo: N. Muller)

Here, spraying is legal (Photo: N. Muller)

Daria is considering a career as a teacher (Photo: N. Muller)

It’s all about the freedom to express yourself (Photo: N. Muller)

Mittwochs Maler is a break from Daria’s art studies (Photo: N. Muller)

Cape Town artist beautifies local quarter

mueserk — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:32:01 +0000

The Woodstock neighborhood in Cape Town was once a thriving industrial area, but as the factories closed down it became more known for crime, gangs and drugs. Now the area is changing once again – this time for the better. Responsible for some of the more colorful changes is a young artist known as FreddySam who is working to uplift the area one mural at a time.

Listen to the report by Kim Chakanetsa in Cape Town:

Cape Town artist beautifies local quarter

RickyLee Gordon aka FreddySam in his studio at A Word of Art (Photo: Kim Chakanetsa)

Gamiet Karriem assists with the art tour and has lived in Woodstock for 34 years (Photo: Kim Chakanetsa)

FreddySam painted this mural for a woman who has lived in this house for nearly nine decades – and may be forced out soon (Photo: Kim Chakanetsa)

FreddySam’s large-scale murals leave behind a strong impression (Photo: Ricky Lee)

FreddySam wants to change his neighborhood’s image (Photo: Ricky Lee)

FreddySam has a knack for details (Photo: Ricky Lee)

Afghan street artist longs to share her work

admin — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:42:44 +0000

A 23-year-old Afghan graffiti artist longs to share her work at home, but she faces harsh restrictions. Instead, she sets up private exhibitions to give other women courage to be bold and colorful.

Afghan street artist longs to share her work

Shamsia is freer to share her work in Germany than in Afghanistan

Shamsia says she invented a new kind of graffiti