GRAFFITI!!! 

Graffiti or street art is a particular and "new" trend in Latin America. This form of painting emerged as an escape or expression of nonconformism by cityzens for each of the situations that occurred in their countries.

If we observe and reflect about the social, political and economic conflicts that have lived Latin American countries like Honduras, Colombia and El Salvador, graffiti has established itself as a conduit of social protest and complaint against all the abuses experienced so behind each drawing, there is a deeper explanation which wants to make people aware of the problems.

In places like Colombia, the street art is considered vandalism precisely because people do not connect emotionally and artistically with the murals, however in recent years there have been groups which defend graffiti as a way to express healthy and free.

In other places such as Brazil and Argentina, graffiti is considered an art form to be admired by everyone why he is respected and approved by international institutions.

In North Africa, graffiti is practically the only way for people to show their dissatisfaction with the current situation and the fact that want to silence them and have so oppressed, they take more force.

Bangkok's 'Mexican' Gangsters

This new and particular trend is a clear example of a subculture immersed in other culture considering that these young Thais have accepted all types of visible and invisible behaviours and features of Mexican Gangsters such as clothes, tattoos, hairstyles, music and social feelings that inspire their lifes.

I believe that the most important characteristic of this phenomenon is the feeling of social dissatisfaction that young Thais have against their government. It's like an expression of deep anger and denunciation that some people have for various issues that are affecting their society such as abortion or corruption and these situations are similar to the current situacion in Mexico.

I infer that sometimes the physical borders between countries or continents or territories don't matter if we can identified with situations that occur in other parts of the world. In a globalized and connected world as ours, only the internet can shows all of the facts that are happening in our countries and these scenes contribute to create a BIG GLOBAL CULTURE.

Thanks for your attention,

Mary Molina Pereira.