Walking around Bologna when I first arrived I noticed the abundance of street art and graffiti that desecrated the historic porticos and buildings. I was surprised by this but found it to be commonplace in Italy, especially in cities with a large student population such as Bologna. I was told by a guide in Rome that since ancient times graffiti has been a popular usage for expression and often studied for their historical insights.

In Bologna you’ll see the city personnel or local groups who keep the porticos clean, scrubbing the efforts of those who proclaim their artistic abilities or political leanings. Some is left on certain buildings where the art does not detract or may serve a purpose.

Through the years I have taken photos of a number of street art works and there are even maps that show where you can find these.  I thought I’d share some of these here as they are all part of sampling life in Bologna.

Via Zamboni

This street is a major artery running through the University and you often find political graffiti and art here.  But as these buildings are historic and include many porticos this art is not appreciated and usually removed.

Street art Via Zamboni Bologna Italy

I personally cringe when I see these painted on the porticos and it seems to be a never-ending struggle between those who want to preserve the porticos and keep them clean and those that feel they have a right to use these as their personal canvases.

Finding the humor

But then there are the random works of art that make you pause and chuckle as this one did for me. This container, normally green, is used for recycling glass containers. On the top left is the hole that has been cleverly disguised as a large hose or maybe a tail?

Recycling art- Bologna Italy

Remembering the famous

Lucio Dalla was a musician, singer and songwriter who was a native son of Bologna.  He passed away in 2012 and has a devoted fan base that treats him with a deep respect and love.  His music can be heard every day at 6 PM from the area of his house which is now open to visitors.  You can find images of him in several places in Bologna but the most famous is the one painted of him playing by his balcony.

Image of Lucio Dalla Bologna Italy

Image of Lucio Dalla playing his sax- Bologna Italy

Invitational art

In the area where I live in Bologna I frequently pass by this building that has an incredible amount of art.  After doing some research I found that the building is an abandoned barracks that was occupied by a group called LABAS.  Identifying as anti-fascist and anti-capitalist, LABAS’s goal was to provide services for the area that the city could not. They had a weekly organic market, provided housing for immigrants and homeless and a school for children.  They were forcibly removed by the police in the fall of 2017 to the consternation of the area.  They have since relocated in an other building where they were invited them to continue their work. My cover photo was taken of a wall of their old building and I can only surmise it is in response to the police ousting them and the symbolism of a sinking ship but it may be something else as well.

In the spring of 2017 they had invited street artists from all over Europe to come and paint their art on their walls.  This lasted days and involved large equipment to give the painters access to the high walls. Scroll through the images for a sample of their art.

Storefront art

Lately I have been noticing art professionally painted on the metal shutters that cover the shop windows when they are closed.  It is fun to wander around on an evening or Sunday to see what shops have joined the ranks.  Some are artistic representations of their business like a coffee shop or wine shop while others use the space to advertise their business hours. Others  are more abstract like the one on a store selling stamps for collectors with the images of ships and an archer along with dates.

The one with the action figures sells cigarettes from a machine when the store is closed and this is encompassed in the painting. And then there are others I have not figured out but just enjoy adding to my collection which you can browse below

Keeping your eyes open

Now that I have opened my eyes to finding different forms of street art here in Bologna and understanding some of the motivation behind the various styles, I look forward to finding more in other places in Italy and in Europe.  I have already found others in the Emilia-Romagna region and want to see how they compare to other regions or countries.

Please share any of your experiences with discovering this sometimes rogue, sometimes planned form of expression.