Armed with an arsenal of colors, graffiti artists around the world are protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine by painting provocative street art and murals against the war. Some artists are using innovative ways to help Ukrainians affected by the conflict through QR codes that allow the public to scan graffiti to make donations. While some people view graffiti as a visual blight, many of its creators view it is a democratic art form that provides a voice for the voiceless. When done well, it can raise awareness of social, political, and environmental issues.
Anti-War Art: Graffiti Artists Around The Globe Show Support For Ukraine
- By RFE/RL
![A mural titled War Child in Los Angeles, California, by the street artist known as Hijack. In a statement he said: "When adults wage war, children suffer. The most recent war in Europe has caused a refugee crises that may see up to 10 million Ukrainians fleeing [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's bombs."](https://gdb.rferl.org/040e0000-0aff-0242-928c-08da33241341_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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A mural titled War Child in Los Angeles, California, by the street artist known as Hijack. In a statement he said: "When adults wage war, children suffer. The most recent war in Europe has caused a refugee crises that may see up to 10 million Ukrainians fleeing [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's bombs."
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On a wall in Rome, Italy, two women painted in the national colors of Ukraine and Russia are seen sobbing and hugging with the word "mir" (peace) binding them together Painted by the artist known as Laika for International Women's Day on March 8.
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Artists Juliano Trindade and Corie Mattie of the Valence Projects stand in front of their collaborative mural To Ukraine With Love in Los Angeles on May 8. Mattie told RFE/RL that it was important to show a sign of hope with doves taking away Putin's power. "I think all art can make a difference," she said. "It gets onlookers to think about current situations, shift perspectives, and even get people to act." This particular mural has a QR code that goes to the national bank of Ukraine, which has set up a fund to raise money for Ukrainian troops. "It’s important to provide people access to activism," Mattie said. "Good art makes you think, but great art makes you do."
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Schoolchildren in Barcelona, Spain, walk past a mural by the artist TVBOY on May 9. The peace symbol in the painting was initially designed for the British nuclear disarmament movement in 1958.
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This image in the Russian city of Borovsk on April 14 shows Ukrainian and Russian women holding hands with the word "nostalgia" written above them. It was painted by 84-year old Vladimir Ovchinnikov, who has spent decades producing murals on buildings in and around this small town south of Moscow.
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In the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin carries his own dead body, by Stanislav Belovski.
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This mural created by the LBWS collective in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa evokes a more childlike appeal, while portraying the seriousness of war.
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People walk past a mural depicting Putin tearing the head off of a dove, at Place de la Paix in Lyon, France, on March 22 by an unknown artist.
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A mural titled Dress Me Up for Battle by street artist Bandit in Los Angeles on March 21. Bandit, who normally focuses on Native American issues, detailed how this piece is a spinoff of the Emanuel Leutze painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware River with the Continental Army in 1776. As he states on his Instagram page: "I enjoy this new version better. We stand with Ukraine."
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A woman walks past a mural in Prague, Czech Republic, depicting a child protecting herself with a Ukrainian flag against the Russian invasion. Kazakh-born artist Dmitry Proskin, whose moniker is ChemiS, told RFE/RL that "the main thing is that it is being seen by Ukrainian people." He added, "They are sending me messages of thanks, so my main goal of showing Ukrainians our support was reached."
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The Putin As Lord Voldemort mural was painted by street artist Kawuart in Poznan, Poland, in February. Lord Voldemort is the villain from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books.
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Artist Harry Greb's SOS was recently created in Rome, Italy. Greb told RFE/RL that everyone should make their voices heard and that weapons should never be used to solve problems. "I don't know if my art can make a difference, certainly not alone," he said. "But together, perhaps we can."
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A Romanian woman walks in front a printed mesh depicting Putin hung near the Russian Embassy in Bucharest on April 29. Special Artistic Operation is the name of a street-art exhibition featuring works by Ukrainian and Romanian artists.
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Street artist Todd Goodman, known as 1GoodHombre, stands in front of his stencil of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy holding submachine guns on March 21 in Santa Monica, California. Goodman came out of anonymity, risking arrest and fines for his unlicensed work to solicit funds for Ukrainian war refugees. Goodman told RFE/RL that his works were a statement of peaceful nonviolent resistance to Putin’s uncontrolled aggression and violence in Ukraine. "I have no idea if my work can physically change anything other than maybe change how someone may feel, from a feeling of hopelessness and fear, to a feeling of hope and fearlessness in the face of evil."
