“Graffiti is existence”: thoughts on a way of living in the city

Abstract

Based on an ethnography of the graffiti practices of São Paulo, held in 2016 and 2017, this article proposes a displacement of the look on this subject, to reflect on what escapes it, at first sight, that is, specific dynamics that are beyond the walls. In this perspective, we seek to describe and reflect on the effects those practices have on writers, especially about the formulation of their identities and how they interact with the urban space. This understanding allows us to highlight an elaboration of a particular way of living in the city, informed by the experiences of painting on the street.

Keywords:
graffiti; street art; urban anthropology; city