From opacity to image luminosity: the wall interfaces

Abstract

The wall is a physical manifestation of historical, social, political, and economic segregation processes, but it also has countless subjectivities linked to the growing individualization of society. Because of its complexity, the wall is a barrier that presents faces and interfaces that are part of the same structure but have singularities and differential impacts on public space. By understanding fences as drifting elements susceptible to mutation, graffiti is evoked as an artistic practice that can activate and enhance the interfaces of the wall in urban areas. This paper aims to present the potential of graffiti in activating the interface between the wall and the public space, articulated through collective actions. To this end, an analysis of a Brazilian case in the peripheral region of Campinas – São Paulo is presented, supported by a systematic literature review and an observation mapping. The graffiti created welcoming environments where it was executed and stimulated other dynamics of use and appropriation of these places, re-signifying parts of the neighborhood in the sense of territorialization and belonging. The findings suggest potential avenues for fostering practices of appropriation, thereby charting a course towards enhanced vitality in contemporary urban environments, particularly in regions facing infrastructure and community facility deficiencies. Local identity is upheld to the extent that urban space and landscape are designated as belonging to and being the right of every citizen, thereby affirming their value.