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THE PAINTER (FREIHEIT FUR ALLE) – BASEL – FEBRUARY 2024

Whose side is the artist on?
 

In sociology, the «broken window theory» asserts that markers of urban disorder, such as graffiti and broken windows, encourage further disorder and misbehaviour. If a broken window is left unattended, then very quickly other vandalism occurs as well. As a result, the residents and businesses will feel less safe and property values, business growth and tourism will decline. Yet by repairing the broken window or removing graffiti immediately, further decline is avoided.
 
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Rather than being a senseless destruction of property, graffiti is an inherently democratic form of communication. It allows anyone with a pen or spray can to convey their message, whether it is activists expressing their political discontent or disadvantaged youth writing their name all over an alienating metropolis that systematically marginalised them. Graffiti is a tool for expressing yourself, reaching an audience, and reclaiming the city. It is a way for people to garner a sense of belonging.