As Paredes Falam (The Walls Speak): The Complicated Position of Graffiti and Wall Art in Coimbra, Portugal

Abstract

In this paper, in honor of Leila Monaghan’s contributions to decolonizing and privileging varied forms of communication, I consider the complex position of graffiti and wall art in contemporary Coimbra, Portugal. Through exploration of three questions that emerged during my three months of ethnographic research on the decriminalization of drug use in Portugal, I consider how this form of artistic expression fits into the broader imaginary of a country that has been, in its turn, one of the great colonial powers, a highly restrictive dictatorial regime, and finally, one of the most economically depressed countries in Western Europe. In Portugal, I consider graffiti, as a form of art and communication and question how it fits into a complex process of de-colonizing and exploring power among diverse youth, even within a former colonial center of power.