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The article discusses the rich cosmopolitan history of Dakar, Senegal, highlighting its role in the Black Atlantic and ongoing cultural exchanges through mediums like media, music, and sports. It also discusses the visual portrayal of Sufi saints, especially Amadu Bamba, the significance of Pape Diop's graffiti in Dakar's urban landscape, and the role of baraka in shaping the city's social and spiritual life.

The article explores the perspective of Bolivian feminist activist María Galindo on the recent military incursion in Bolivia and her critique of the country's political system. Galindo emphasizes the need to challenge oppressive structures and rethink the concept of the nation-state. The article also discusses the creation of a Feminist Constitution in Bolivia, led by marginalized groups such as Indigenous women, lesbian women, and the urban working class. The Feminist Constitution aimed to center the voices of these groups and propose innovative ideas for social transformation. However, challenges remain in achieving true gender equality and self-recognition for marginalized groups in Bolivia. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, we study a gang territorial model consisting of two parabolic and two ordinary differential equations, where a taxis-type mechanism models that the two rivaling gangs are repelled by each other's graffiti. Our main analytical finding shows the existence of global, bounded classical solutions. By making use of quantitative global estimates, we prove that these solutions converge to homogeneous steady states if the initial data are sufficiently small. Moreover, we perform numerical experiments which show that for different choices of parameters, the system may become diffusion- or convection-dominated, where in the former case the solutions converge toward constant steady states while in the latter case nontrivial asymptotic behavior such as segregation is observed. In order to perform these experiments, we apply a nonlinear finite element flux-corrected transport method (FEM-FCT) which is positivity-preserving. Then we treat the nonlinearities in both the system and the proposed nonlinear scheme simultaneously using fixed-point iteration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The close conceptual links between symbolic death, rebirth, and pilgrimage are widely known to modern sociologists and anthropologists and can be observed in several modern pilgrimage traditions. This study argues that the same connections can already be detected in Aristides' Hieroi Logoi, "the earliest detailed first-person account of pilgrimage that survives from antiquity". In terms of methodology, this article follows recent scholarly work on ancient lived religion perspectives and religiously motivated mobility that favours a broader understanding of the notion of pilgrimage in the Greek-speaking world. Rutherford, in particular, has produced a plethora of pioneering studies on all aspects of 'sacred tourism' experience in various media including documentary papyri, inscriptions, and graffiti. This chapter builds further on Rutherford's work and focuses on Aristides' accounts of his visits to smaller, less-well known healing centres. The main aim is to demonstrate how Aristides' pilgrimage experience to the healing temple of Asclepius at Poimanenos or Poimanenon (a town of ancient Mysia near Cyzicus) is wholly recast and presented in terms of travelling to the sacred site of Eleusis, one of the most important cultural and religious centres of the Roman Empire in the Antonine Era. Thus, Aristides' pilgrimage experience to Poimanenos is successfully reframed as a mystic initiation that marks the death of the previous ill self and the birth of the new, enlightened, and healthy self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saqanefars are structures from the Qajar period that are derived from the indigenous and ritual architecture of Mazandaran. In contrast to comparable structures, Saqanfar Kijatekiyeh in Babol is characterized by a plethora of pictorial themes that are specifically focused on women. This research aims to explore the themes and significance of women's roles in these murals. The research questions are as follows: -What is the reason for the increased prevalence of women's motifs in Saqanfar Kijatekiyeh Babol in comparison to other Saqanefars? -What are the reasons for the prominence of women in these murals? - Which themes are illustrated in the murals of Saqanfar Kijatekiyeh, Babol? The research employs a descriptive-analytical method, which involves the non-random selection of specific images from epic, otherworldly, symbolic, and quotidian activity motifs and their description using an iconological approach. Significant developments and changes in women's status were reflected in the Qajar era, which saw a zenith in the redefining of women's roles in society, family, and art. The northern regions of Iran underwent a change in gender concepts as a result of their geographical and livelihood conditions. The development of women's roles is significantly influenced by historical, social, political, and cultural factors. The Tekiyeh building's simultaneity with the Qajar period, the fundamental changes in social relations, clothing styles, political positions, and aesthetic concepts of women, as well as the abundance of women's images, suggest a direct connection between these motifs and the political and social developments of the era. This is indicative of the impact of indigenous artists on the representation of political and social conditions within a particular historical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graffiti represents a multi-disciplinary social behavior. It is used to annotate urban landscapes under the assumption that building façades will constantly evolve and acquire modified skins. This study aimed to simulate the interaction between building façades and generative AI-based graffiti using Stable Diffusion® (SD v 1.7.0). The context used for graffiti generation considered the graffiti as the third skin, the remodeled façade as the second skin, and the original façade as the first skin. Graffiti was created based on plain-text descriptions, representative images, renderings of scaled 3D prototype models, and characteristic façades obtained from various seed elaborations. It was then generated from either existing graffiti or the abovementioned context; overlaid upon a campus or city; and judged based on various criteria: style, area, altitude, orientation, distribution, and development. I found that rescaling and reinterpreting the context presented the most creative results: it allowed unexpected interactions between the urban fabric and the dynamics created to be foreseen by elaborating on the context and due to the divergent instrumentation used for the first, second, and third skins. With context awareness or homogeneous aggregation, graphic partitions can thus be merged into new topologically re-arranged polygons that enable a cross-gap creative layout. Almost all façades were found to be applicable. AI generation enhances awareness of the urban fabric and facilitates a review of both the human scale and buildings. AI-based virtual governance can use generative graffiti to facilitate the implementation of preventive measures in an urban context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on right-wing extremist incidents at the district central library in Tempelhof, Berlin. Books critical of right-wing social tendencies or biographies from the history of socialism were cut up. There were also graffiti and flyers with right-wing extremist content. The library has taken measures such as cooperating with the police and various organizations. It is emphasized how important it is to report such incidents and to prepare for possible shitstorms. The library has developed an event concept called "Strong Pages" to respond to the destruction of books and to encourage the public to critically engage with topics such as right-wing extremism and National Socialism. Other projects implemented in the library to strengthen people's media literacy are also described. The article discusses how libraries should deal with controversial titles and emphasizes the importance of freedom of speech. The question of censorship and the influence of homophobic parent groups on book selection for children and teenagers is also discussed. It is emphasized that libraries need legally secured independence to fulfill their mission and that they should take a political stance, especially in times when anti-democratic parties are gaining influence. The role of libraries as knowledge and cultural institutions in the structural transformation of the public is also addressed. It is emphasized that libraries should enable an egalitarian exchange of arguments and perspectives and that their strength lies in strengthening judgment and media literacy. It is recommended that libraries take measures to prepare for possible attacks and protect democracy. [Extracted from the article]

While anti-graffiti policies have been examined in various places, the concrete conditions of graffiti removal remain largely unexplored. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this article considers a generative dimension of graffiti removal techniques and highlights their contribution to the visual ordering of urban reality through two main actions: making differences and making similarities. Anything but automatic and simple, graffiti removal is a complex operation consisting of technical gestures and ontological re-specifications, which are accomplished within the material entanglements of the city's surfaces. A matter of continuous transformations, graffiti removal participates, like graffiti writing, in the visual becoming of urban ecologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the senses of touch, sound and smell through the craft work of subcultural graffiti to develop a new understanding of place. It draws from ethnographic data collected from 18 months of research edgework involving active participation in the field. Firstly, it positions graffiti as craft work involving practice, skilled use of tools, insightful judgments and use of the body. Secondly, because graffiti can provoke strong practitioner feelings it explores sensory engagements. In forming this somatic link between the senses and craft work this article reveals how a particular personal consciousness regarding place is produced by an individual practitioner. It then discusses how sensory engagements through graffiti craft practice produce a conceptual reconfiguration of space and this is posited as a senseplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the more than 2,000 ancient engravings on marble outcrops in hills north and east of Vari, Attica, there appears a remarkable drawing of a building. The structure, which seems to be a temple, is identified by its inscription as "the Hekatompedon" and was produced by an individual named Mikon. This note presents the drawing and the inscription. Following a discussion of the peculiarities of the graffito and its relevance for our understanding of the term ἑκατόµπεδος, it argues that the graffito depicts an Archaic temple on the Acropolis of Athens. 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Aposta is the property of Aposta and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Copyright of International Journal of Social Sciences (IJSS) / Uluslararasi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of International Journal of Social Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Among the men of the Middle Ages who have been reduced to anonymity due to an absence or lack of written and archaeological sources, as well as a failure of memory, are the majority of those sentenced to prison. The few archival documents that have come down to us reveal the faces of these unknown men, some of whom were judged by the ecclesiastical justice system, which was known as the officiality. The most that can be ascertained from the few surviving records are the names and dates of detention of the prisoners. In order to recover their identity, it is necessary to study the figurative graffiti, which provides invaluable information. Some prisoners left traces of their passage by “inserting their own images”, in the form of drawings or carvings, on their cell walls. This article will attempt to analyse the means of figurative expression in the late-medieval prison environment, to make them meaningful, to account for the sociocultural practices of those men and to grasp their unveiled identity. In order to gain insight into the concerns, beliefs, thoughts and very life of those men, the figurative graffiti of Selles Castle in Cambrai (France) will be used as an illustration. The Selles Castle served as a confined space in the late Middle Ages, particularly for the Cambrai officiality.

The article analyzes the phenomenon of street art in the context of its impact on the creation of local or global communities of both creators and audiences. It takes into consideration various forms of expression such as graffiti, community murals, or interventions by individual artists. It examines to what extent the communities formed around artistic activities are lasting and cohesive. Graffiti, as a form of art typical of the hip-hop subculture, represents expressions by groups that are closed and anonymous for the majority of society. Despite strong connections, these groups are usually temporary and may disband after the completion of specific projects. Other forms of street art are typically created by individual artists seeking to develop a unique style. Open, global networks of enthusiasts, activists, and organizations form around them, with the internet and social media serving as platforms used to maintain the connection between artists and their audience. Some street artists (e.g. JR or Swoon) are particularly sensitive to social issues and contribute to forming and sustaining local communities through their creations, even if they do not necessarily belong to them. A specific form of street art are community murals commissioned by a community to enhance its identity and cohesion. Street art and graffiti, therefore, have the ability to create communities on various levels, even despite their informal and ephemeral nature.

In 2002, Israel started the construction of a 708-kilometer wall to control the Palestinian territories. The Wall offered a massive canvas, which the Palestinians used to develop graffiti and murals. The artwork and graffiti are location-specific, ephemeral, transitory, and unstable. This paper aims to document, archive, and analyze discourse and themes emerging from the artwork that developed on the Wall between 2018 and 2022. The analysis of these images has revealed that, while the purpose of building the Wall was to curb and stifle their resistance, Palestinians turned it into a platform where they were able to express their commitment to national resistance, freedom, justice, love, poetry, business, and even personalization of their own stories. The Wall has also attracted international solidarity and sparked a new protest movement called "struggle tourism", focusing on the Palestinian presence in the region's physical, moral, and political landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tematem artykułu jest nowe zjawisko sztuki miejskiej określane jako „dzikie typo”. Jest ono specyficznie lokalne, łódzkie, ale jednocześnie pozwala uchwycić złożoną problematykę doświadczenia postindustrialnego miasta — i w tym sensie jest uniwersalne. Sam termin jest zastanawiający, ponieważ wydaje się wewnętrznie sprzeczny. Mimo iż pojęcie dzikości ma pewną tradycję we współczesnej teorii sztuki, to nie przystaje do zagadnienia typografii. Różne przejawy „dzikiego typo” w przestrzeni miasta uwikłane są w szereg zależności podważających status autorstwa, narażających twórców na naśladowanie i instrumentalne wykorzystanie ich prac. Jeśli chodzi o fizyczną przestrzeń miasta i jej walory dzikości i autentyczności — to „dzikie typo” użycza tej przestrzeni wieloznaczności i także przejmuje jej wieloznaczność, co wraz z ingerującą przyrodą oraz zaniedbaniem sprawia, że użytkownik miasta nie ma jasności, z czym ma do czynienia. Interesujące jest, dlaczego i z jakimi intencjami lub nadziejami artyści wikłają się w ten splot sztuki, wandalizmu i degradacji krajobrazu. Potraktowanie tych przestrzeni i praktyk jako heterotopijnych pozwala wyjść poza schematyczne wartościowanie legalne/nielegalne, estetyczne/antyestetyczne, kulturalne/zdziczałe.

This article introduces the possibility of studying graffiti using a colorimeter developed with Arduino hardware technology according to the Do It Yourself (DIY) philosophy. Through the obtained Red Green Blue (RGB) data it is intended to study and compare the information extracted from each of the graffiti present on different walls. The same color can be found in different parts of a single graffiti, but also in other graffiti that could a priori be of different authorship. Nevertheless, graffiti may be related, and it may be possible to group graffiti artists and "gangs" that work together. The methodology followed for the construction of the colorimeter and its real application in a practical case are described in four case studies. The case studies describe how graffiti were identified and recognized and they provide a comparison of the collected color samples. The results show the added value of the colorimeter in the graffiti recognition process, demonstrating its usefulness on a functional level. Finally, the contributions of this research are outlined, and an analysis is carried out of the changes to be made to the proposed method in the future, for improved graffiti color identification.

The discovery of historical graffiti in the Torre de Rame, a 17th-century watchtower built in Los Alcázares (Region of Murcia, Spain), has led to the study of a valuable and large set of nautical graffiti. The analysis of these representations, together with that of the tower, reveals that they represent vessels that crossed the Mediterranean Sea at a time when there was confrontation between Ottoman-Berber pirates and Corsairs and the Christian kingdoms. This, together with other evidence, suggests that the authors of these motifs engraved on the walls were sailors who were part of this tragic struggle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the political messaging present on the walls and street furniture of the city of Athens in the context of displacement, border crossing and asylum seeking. It engages with photographs of graffiti, posters, and stencils, taken by the authors between 2017 and 2022, to demonstrate how 'banal' artefacts tell stories of the changing relationship between the city and seekers of sanctuary. We examine what roles graffiti might play in creating and supporting emotional proximity between groups of city dwellers, whose paths might not necessarily cross. Taking inspiration from Tazzioli's notion of the 'ethnography of vanishing spaces' (Tazzioli 2020: 150) the article maps the memories and histories of transient lives in Athens and how changing political responses and narratives can be read on its walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is something queer about Symbolism. Art historians have long acknowledged the links between Symbolist aesthetics and contemporaneous ideas about human sexuality, and even a cursory examination of artworks by male Symbolist artists working across the continent reveals an eyebrow-raising number of muscled nudes, lithe ephebes, and intimate male couplings. The sensual male body could register the artist's erotic desire, even as he put it forth as an idealized emblem of transcendental truth. But perhaps Symbolism's queerness extended beyond subject matter. Scholars have argued that Symbolism was in part defined by a subversive approach to visual semiotics: a severing—we might say a queering—of the ties binding a sign to its established cultural meaning. Similarly, male homosexual subcultures were sustained by endowing established signs and pictures with a uniquely queer significance. This paper seeks to tease out the relationship between Symbolist aesthetics and male homosexuality in terms of a shared sensibility towards pictorial interpretation. Taking as a case study the work of the Swedish Symbolist artist Eugène Jansson, I argue that Symbolism held appeal for homosexual artists precisely because queer subcultures were primed to read subversive meaning into normative pictures. Offering a new reading of Symbolism's sexual valences, I contextualize the movement's attendant artworks within the broader cultural landscape of homosexual signs and symbols and articulate the parallels between Symbolist approaches to the image and queer modes of seeing in the late nineteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is broad consensus regarding the fact that street art is a form of social, political and cultural protest and critique. However, rather than one single form, street art consists of a wide range of complex and contradictory styles featuring a diversity of interests, derivations and conflicts with underlying factors of both a structural and contextual nature. Taking as examples the cases of Pinacoteca aCel Obert and Pinta Malasaña, in Barcelona and Madrid respectively, this article explores the production of urban art and notes how, as part of plans to revitalize neighborhoods, it assumes different versions in harmony with the characteristics and circumstances of the surrounding areas. Using a qualitative methodology, it explores the conception, development and results of both projects, revealing the heterogeneity of explanatory factors, the complexity of their implementation, and the role, which is not exempt from conflict and rivalry, of street artists in the urban space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the unique interplay between graffiti practices, 'gentle privatism', and urban space in Block 45, a large housing estate in New Belgrade. Focusing on the informal code of conduct adhered to by local graffiti artists, the study examines how these unwritten rules shape social hierarchies and community dynamics. Through an analysis of graffiti's territoriality and its role in place-making, the paper reveals how artists navigate the tension between public and private domains, challenging conventional neoliberal urban paradigms. By appropriating public spaces, graffiti writers transform common walls into valuable canvases that reflect the collective identity and mutual respect within the ambience of Block 45. The paper argues that this form of gentle privatism not only asserts the presence of the artists but also enriches the urban landscape and strengthens community bonds. Ultimately, the study highlights the sociocultural significance of graffiti as a medium for cultural expression and social commentary within the context of privatism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the possibility of studying graffiti using a colorimeter developed with Arduino hardware technology according to the Do It Yourself (DIY) philosophy. Through the obtained Red Green Blue (RGB) data it is intended to study and compare the information extracted from each of the graffiti present on different walls. The same color can be found in different parts of a single graffiti, but also in other graffiti that could a priori be of different authorship. Nevertheless, graffiti may be related, and it may be possible to group graffiti artists and "gangs" that work together. The methodology followed for the construction of the colorimeter and its real application in a practical case are described in four case studies. The case studies describe how graffiti were identified and recognized and they provide a comparison of the collected color samples. The results show the added value of the colorimeter in the graffiti recognition process, demonstrating its usefulness on a functional level. Finally, the contributions of this research are outlined, and an analysis is carried out of the changes to be made to the proposed method in the future, for improved graffiti color identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos.info is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Facultad de Comunicaciones and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a series of social isolation measures that reduced the movement of people in public spaces. This condition created a natural experiment to test the theory of routine activities and its applicability in the study of graffiti. Continuing the monitoring carried out in the hypercenter of Belo Horizonte since 2011, this study assesses the impacts of restrictions on the movement of people on the amount of graffiti found in that location. It starts from the hypothesis that the social restriction measures reduced the number of capable guardians (surveillance), expanding the opportunities for the practice of graffiti tagging and, consequently, favoring its expansion. A survey of existing graffiti in the hypercenter was carried out in 2022, and its results were compared with previous surveys conducted in the study area in 2011, 2015, 2017, and 2019, allowing the hypothesis to be tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This study explores the viability of employing ultra-freezing air projection as a sustainable method to eliminate graffiti from rail vehicles and structures. Its potential application extends to the cleaning of non-porous materials, including industrial cultural heritage sites. Unauthorised graffiti is a challenge in urban environments, affecting railway structures, stations, tracks, and vehicles. Inefficient cleaning methods increase the costs and downtime of railcars, limiting passenger transport. In turn, they are harmful to the operator's health and the environment, due to the VOCs they release. This study focuses on the feasibility of dry-ice blasting, replacing carbon dioxide with ambient air as an innovative and sustainable solution to remove graffiti from rail vehicles. Experimental tests have been carried out with 13 different aerosols, controlling the temperature (<−80 °C), pressure (up to 3 bar), projection distance (0.5 cm) and exposure times (30″/1′/2′/4′/6′/8′/++). The results showed that ultra-freezing with ambient air preserved the integrity of the support materials and altered the topography, colourimetry and adhesion of the aerosols tested, achieving the total removal of one of the paints. Preliminary results suggest that ultra-freezing with ambient air could be a viable and sustainable solution for graffiti removal on railway structures, transferable to other urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we aim to revisit one of the privileged places for citizens' expression -- the street and urban public space -- based on the legacy of graffiti and murals created during the Portuguese revolutionary period of April 25th, 1974. We reflect on the historical memory of the revolution and how periodically in the country, there has been a recovery of its political-aesthetic repertoire. With this context as the object of study, we contemplate the form of citizen participation and the role of public space as a fundamental terrain for political communication and democratic living, discussing aspects of visuality and political performativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies of the Linguistic Landscape in Timor-Leste conducted over a decade ago found Portuguese language use dominated official signage, although English dominated overall through its presence on commercial signs, especially those targeting the more affluent parts of society. This innovative study revisits a previously examined LL in order to investigate changes in language practice over time, with particular attention to how the recently independent nation expresses its national identity in public spaces and how language policy decisions have taken effect. The findings show that the visibility of Portuguese has increased while that of English has reduced. This suggests that being Portuguese-speaking may be aligned with expressions of Timorese identity. Further, while multiple languages are found in the LL, of the indigenous languages only Tetun, one of the two official languages of Timor-Leste, has a presence. This may raise concerns about the vitality of those other indigenous languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graffiti, by their very nature, are ephemeral, sometimes even vanishing before creators finish them. This transience is part of graffiti's allure yet signifies the continuous loss of this often disputed form of cultural heritage. To counteract this, graffiti documentation efforts have steadily increased over the past decade. One of the primary challenges in any documentation endeavour is identifying and recording new creations. Image‐based change detection can greatly help in this process, effectuating more comprehensive documentation, less biased digital safeguarding and improved understanding of graffiti. This paper introduces a novel and largely automated image‐based graffiti change detection method. The methodology uses an incremental structure‐from‐motion approach and synthetic cameras to generate co‐registered graffiti images from different areas. These synthetic images are fed into a hybrid change detection pipeline combining a new pixel‐based change detection method with a feature‐based one. The approach was tested on a large and publicly available reference dataset captured along the Donaukanal (Eng. Danube Canal), one of Vienna's graffiti hotspots. With a precision of 87% and a recall of 77%, the results reveal that the proposed change detection workflow can indicate newly added graffiti in a monitored graffiti‐scape, thus supporting a more comprehensive graffiti documentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residents within a council housing area in Stirling, Scotland, which is undergoing regeneration, took photos for an auto-driven photo-elicitation study. There was limited guidance on what images to capture. Residents were simply invited to focus on the neighbourhood. An unexpected finding was the significance participating residents gave to the linguistic and semiotic landscape such as signs, billboards and graffiti. Within the interview, it became apparent that the participants considered the signs as part of the expression of spatial social discourse. Therefore, the billboards and signs placed there by the powerful social actors such as developers were understood and scrutinised for their claims and the lived reality of residents. Also, graffiti was understood in context with the social-spatial dialectic of being inscribed within a community with an underlying sectarian discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor is a featured project of China's Belt and Road Initiative that is creating new resource frontiers in Tharparkar, Pakistan. Centered around coal mining and energy production, these new sites of resource extraction and their infrastructures have sparked dissensus throughout the Desert district of Sindh, Pakistan. Our analysis draws on research on socio-technical imaginaries and Rancière's thoughts on political change and aesthetics. In doing so, we examine how political dissensus is represented though graffiti and works in contrast to the socio-technical imaginaries represented by the state in public signage. The differences, we suggest, represent socio-technical counter imaginaries that form a politics that disrupts the established socio-political order embedded within the political goals of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. These counter imaginaries have important implications for the creation of just and equitable opportunities for people impacted by the emerging coal extraction and power generation complex. Our ethnographic approach provides a street-level analysis of the politicization of imagined socio-technical futures in the Tharparkar desert and emerging energy resource frontiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to offer a secure identification of the "Boudroumi" and the Northwest Shops in the Roman Forum at ancient Corinth as a site of incarceration in the Late Antique period. The identification is made based on both prisoner graffiti from the 5th to 6th century ce inscribed on slabs and the notebooks from the Corinth Excavations in 1901, which clarify that the slabs were discovered in situ and served as floor pavement. The small finds excavated from beneath the level of the pavement are analyzed to establish a terminus post quem for the repurposing of the structures into a prison, as well as the architectural changes made. Further, the structures' reuse is contextualized within the broader history of Corinth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript investigates the cultural and educational dimensions of murals and graffiti in the ruins of the Aliko Hotel on Naxos Island. Moving beyond their aesthetic value, these artworks are examined as conduits for complex sociocultural and educational discourses. Employing semiotic analysis, particularly informed by Roland Barthes' conceptual framework, the study offers a multi-layered interpretation of the significance of street art. A systematic approach guided the empirical data collection, entailing the careful selection and categorisation of 76 photographs, eventually honed down to 21 key images for detailed analysis. This set, comprising 6 murals and 15 graffiti pieces, was subjected to meticulous examination to discern both dominant themes and motifs ('studium') and the elements evoking personal connections ('punktum'), thereby facilitating emotional and intellectual engagement. The methodology of the study is tailored to uncover the collective narratives encapsulated within these visual forms, as well as the individual responses they provoke. It probes how personal interpretations are influenced by the viewers' beliefs and backgrounds, thereby expanding the semiotic analysis to encompass both shared and individual meanings. This balanced analytical approach deepens the understanding of visual expressions as dynamic interactions between the artwork and its audience. It underscores the transformative role of street art in urban environments and its contribution to public art discourse. The impending demolition of the Hotel Aliko ruins underscores the ephemeral nature of street art. The murals and graffiti, as transient custodians of cultural and social narratives, accentuate the fragile nature of this cultural heritage. This critical moment underscores the importance of documenting and preserving such art forms and the stories they encapsulate, highlighting their significant role in shaping community identity and cultural education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the example of graffiti created by famous artists on the walls of buildings and structures damaged during hostilities in Kyiv and its suburbs, the article analyzes and summarizes the factors influencing the lifespan of street artworks. Special conditions for dismantling graffiti and changing the exposure are considered. Examples of measures taken to preserve art objects are given. The study provides recommendations for additional protection of building structures, which are the basis of murals, taking into account their condition and degree of destruction. The authors provide photographic materials and results from some of the most common objects. Also provided are constructive schemes for strengthening the building elements or their fragments and options for technological solutions for protection, preservation and further dismantling. The article also includes materials from already implemented projects: applications of street art, which were saved using these other methods and techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aeolianites and cemented beach deposits on South Africa’s Cape coast preserve evidence of events that transpired on them when they were composed of unconsolidated sand. Over the past decades, numerous Pleistocene vertebrate tracksites have been identified on aeolianite palaeosurfaces in the Garden Route National Park, West Coast National Park, and Addo Elephant National Park. In the Garden Route National Park alone, 57 Pleistocene vertebrate tracksites have been discovered. An equilibrium exists, whereby new sites become exposed through cliff-collapse events, while known sites slump into the ocean, are eroded through the action of wind and water, or are destroyed through wave action. Engraved graffiti poses a further threat. These sites complement the traditional body fossil record, and have significant palaeoenvironmental and palaeoanthropological implications. Hominin sites are of global importance: one contains the oldest tracks attributed to Homo sapiens, others contain patterns made in sand by ancestral humans and constitutes a form of early palaeoart. Collectively, these sites have substantial geoheritage value. The discoveries create management questions: which sites require active management, and how should they be ranked in importance? Factors which need to be considered in developing a management strategy include the scientific and heritage value of the sites, whether recovery or replication is preferable, the presence or absence of suitable repositories, the level of the threat to site integrity, the accessibility of the site, and the feasibility of recovery. Checklists containing appropriate criteria and questions can form tools in assessing the importance of these ichnosites.

Considering the increased pollution of urban spaces by vandalistic transformations, it is important to take into account the impact they have on observers. The aim of this study is to identify the potential of “soft power” in vandalized texts by determining the characteristics of their perception and memorization, taking into account the theme of the text and the linguistic device used to attract attention. The study utilizes 21 photo images of vandalized texts recorded in the urban environment of major cities in the Russian Federation, which were used as stimulus material. The research is based on the examination of the perception and memorization of vandalized texts through a laboratory experiment using an eye-tracker (sample size — 20 individuals). It was found that 19 to 67% of vandalized texts are remembered upon single exposure (13 seconds). Political texts exhibit the highest memorability, while creolized texts based on language play receive positive evaluation. The most vulnerable to the potential of “soft power” in vandalized texts is the immersive eye-catching strategy of respondents. The authors conclude that vandalized texts are easily remembered, attracting the observer’s attention through unique linguistic devices in text organization.

Introduction. The impact of street art on the state of space of the modern city is investigated. The object of the research is the modern urban environment considered in the context of the changing perception of street art by the urban population. The aspects of forming a favourable urban environment from the point of view of urban dweller’s stay in it are considered.Materials and methods. The methodological basis of the research is an analytical review of materials reflecting the interaction between art and the viewer in general, and street subculture and the urban dweller in particular. The focus of this paper is the concept of the functionality of the time-changing urban environment and its human perception. The research methodology is based on the analysis of the urban space of Ryazan through the prism of its perception by the urban population. The empirical base contains materials, including a statistical study of the opinion of the target audience of teachers, staff and students of the Ryazan Institute (branch) of the Moscow Polytechnic University regarding the existence of the social phenomenon of street art, its dynamics and impact on public opinion, an interview reflecting the view of the artist Alexander Sinitsyn on the state of the Street art movement in Ryazan and the authors’ own participation as artists in the social project “The City in Colours”, which took place in the summer of 2022. The concrete fence of the railway tracks in Moskovskaya street was the object of creativity.Results. The main factors influencing the perception of street art by the population are revealed, the data of statistical research of the state of public consciousness is carried out, reflecting aesthetic views, social activity, involvement in the processes of transformation of the urban environment, the dynamics of perception of the visual range contained in street art objects. The authors of the paper determined the average level of awareness of residents about the activities of street artists and various works of street art.Conclusions. Street art is a new direction that is undergoing transformation processes, adapting to new trends in the modern structure of society and people’s consciousness. Modern subculture of street art will be in demand on the territory of urban space, thanks to its informational, propaganda and aesthetic component.

This study explores the rich spatial-cultural phenomena of street skateboarding and graffiti in Jakarta. The enduring appeal of both activities lies in their ability to inspire creativity, foster subcultural identities, and leave a lasting impact on culture. Through interviews and detailed observations by the first author, an active skateboarder, the research investigates the motivations, challenges, and cultural significance of skateboarding and graffiti. It examines their appropriation of urban spaces, exploring how they navigate local norms and regulations. The study also uncovers the social dynamics and subcultural communities that have emerged around these activities, shedding light on their role in shaping individual and collective identities within Jakarta’s urban fabric. The findings highlight the positive responses from the surrounding community, the strong attachment of the youths to their preferred locations, their constant adaptation and development of skills, and how they express their unique identities.