Over the years graffiti have become a significant part of brazilian pop culture and are important form of expressions for the many people, especially youngsters living at the margins of this fast-growing economy. From Sao Paolo (the center of Brazil’s graffiti art) to Salvador, the walls of Brazil’s cities reflect the extreme poverty and struggle, social tension and economic division, as well as expressing the countries love for music, colors and joy.

Since 1988, the 27th of March is an important date for graffiti artists around Brazil as they celebrate artistic freedom of expression during the “Dia do Graffiti”, i.e. the day of graffiti.

Firmeza Foundation even creared a non-profit organisation based on graffiti art: The Favela Painting project, that includes an always increasing number of community-driven and collectively developed art processes, wants to attract attention on the situation of Rio de Janeiro’s slums. The projects are entirely created with the favela’s inhabitants and aim to bring positivity into their lives.

Walking around Rio de Janeiro we noticed an incredible amount of wonderfully colorful graffiti:

By Cosima Bucarelli