THE INDEPENDENT: Cyprus’ graffiti paints a rich and complex picture of a society divided

Description

All too often, graffiti is categorised as either art or vandalism, when in fact it’s so much more than that. When read with special attention, graffiti can offer deep insights into societies experiencing rapid social and political change – especially those marred by recent conflict.

The walls of a city give communities and individuals who may not have a formal platform space to share their feelings and opinions, and challenge dominant beliefs or ideals.

As researchers interested in societies recovering from disaster or conflict, we recently took a trip to explore graffiti in Cyprus.