I've been meaning to look at the graffiti with characters from old films in the courtyards on Petrogradsky Island for a long time. As soon as I learnt about this graffiti, I started planning a walk, and I learnt about it almost immediately. This is one of the so-called ‘official’ graffiti, that is, it was agreed upon in advance and executed by professional artists. The plot is determined by the place. The graffiti is located in the courtyards of Lenfilm, the oldest Russian film company.
The graffiti in the courtyards of Lenfilm appeared during the festival. The source of the plots were old, all-time favourite films. Some of the characters, as it seems to me, can be recognised even if you haven't seen the film: the pipe and the piercing gaze immediately make you think of Sherlock Holmes. There is a car park next to the graffiti wall, and I had to spend some time to find the best angle. It was impossible to stand directly opposite - in this case the whole left side of the mural was covered by a parked van.
I walked round the yard in different directions and soon found another graffiti. This graffiti I can't comment on in any way - the characters are not familiar to me and I don't know what's going on.
I continued my walk around Petrogradsky Island, gradually moving towards the park on the neighbouring Krestovsky Island. In one of the courtyards along the way, I came across a graffiti that completely repeats the subject of the painting, and is even signed by the artist. The author works at the intersection of photography and painting, first he looks for interesting cityscapes, photographs these landscapes, and then takes his brushes in his hands and creates his canvases looking at these photographs. The work, placed on the wall of the house, combined two Petersburg landscapes in one point of space.
In the park on Krestovsky Island I met some more graffiti. They are very peculiar, they are made in an original and unique style. The authors of these works are participants of the Anton Here Nearby project. Anton Here Nearby’ centre is engaged in social rehabilitation, provides opportunities for creativity and self-expression for people with autism spectrum disorders. Drawings on the walls of transformer boxes are accompanied by texts: ‘I am surrounded everywhere by you in your new beautiful dress’; ‘Everyone always has the right to be like yourself’; ‘People are kind, cheerful, sad, kind, good, grateful’.
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| Smartphone | Google Pixel 3a |
| Location | Saint Petersburg, Russia |
This is my entry for the CCC’s Street Art Contest #194 by 